Fun Facts Friday

Since Christmas is on the way, have fun reading these facts about the holiday!

In 1895, electric lights for trees were first used .

The first Christmas cards were invented in 1843, the Victorian Era.

Rudolph was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930's for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.

Kissing under the mistletoe, dates back to a 17th century English custom. At that time, a berry was removed every time a kiss was made, which meant there were no kisses when there no berries.

Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.

"Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving but later became one of the most popular Christmas songs.

"It's a Wonderful Life" appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.

The first state to officially recognize the Christmas holiday was Alabama.

The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century.

More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.

Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree.

In 1822, Clement C. Moore composed his famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nick," which was later published as "The Night Before Christmas." Moore is credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly fat man in a red suit.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Film Director

A Director is king in the movie world. What he or she says goes, from the look of the overall picture to the action contained within. They direct the shot choices, actors movements, script changes and the final edits. The director works closely with all major departments to make sure the project has all the elements they need.

Major Motion Picture Director:

If you’re lucky and talented enough you will have the opportunity to direct a major motion picture. These films cost a studio millions and millions to produce, but for them the risk is worth the reward.

As we all know, just because a film has a high profile group of stars and a monstrous budget does not insure it will succeed. But with a great director attached, the chances of success can go up. However, most “blockbuster” directors are not first time prodigies. These are men and women who have already proven themselves.

Studios don’t just fund large budget mega-blockbusters they also fund much smaller films as well. They hope that if two or three of their smaller films strike box office gold with an audience they will avoid the financial disaster. Choosing directors on these films is much the same in the respect that either the studio executive or the producer will bring a director to the project.

Independent Feature Film Director:

A director who is just starting out may work on an independent feature. There are numerous examples of those who have achieved great success by working as a director on an independent feature film. Usually the budgets are smaller, the cast less well-known (if at all) and the production support staff smaller, but it’s an opportunity for an unknown director to get an opportunity to show what they are capable of.

Education:

Although by no means mandatory, film school is an excellent option to consider if you are hoping to become a Film Director. You will have the opportunity to truly hone your creative craft before setting out into the entertainment community. As with any entertainment job, it often comes down to whom you know. Network, network, network!

Overall, the job of a Film Director can be a high profile and rewarding career.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Job Title:

Multimedia Developer Internship

Position Type:

Contract

Job Location:

Toronto

Employment Category:

IT - Web Development

Job Description:

Multimedia Developer Internship

de Souza Institute is seeking a motivated student intern with Web Design experience to assist with development of media-rich educational tools for online learning. The ideal candidate should be a recent graduate or senior student in a Graphic Design or Multimedia program.

As part of the Institute’s course design and development team, the successful candidate will have an opportunity to work with a highly skilled team of eLearning professionals and contribute his or her creativity and ideas to a variety of projects.

The successful candidate will gain extensive experience in the course design and development lifecycles and be involved in storyboard implementation, user interface design, programming and coding of online content, graphic design, media production, as well as project deployment, evaluation and testing.

This is a paid position and provides opportunity to gain a wealth of experience in a rapidly growing field.

Responsibilities
• Work with instructional designers, subject matter experts and members of the production team to develop asynchronous distance learning products.
• Generate multimedia learning objects including interactive self-assessments, animations, graphics and audio/video elements for integrated, media-rich courses.
• Follow storyboards to generally assemble online courses.
• Review, assess and revise the course environment from usability and design perspectives.

Job Requirements:
• A recent graduate or senior student currently working towards a certificate in a graphic design or multimedia program with courses in multimedia production.
• Proficiency with Flash, HTML, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Acrobat, video capture and editing programs and Photoshop.
• Basic programming skills and experience in HTML.
• An impressive portfolio of creative works. Related experience from other jobs or internships and involvement in on-campus organizations is helpful.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities at one time.
• Excellent creative and innovative thinking skills.
• Experience with course authoring software and learning management systems a plus.

Targeted Programs:

Targeted Clusters

Targeted Programs

Salary:

TBD

Application Procedure:

Employer Email

If by email, send to:

lmiller@desouzanurse.ca

Application Material Required:

Cover Letter

Résumé

Portfolio

Organization:

de Souza Institute

Division:

eLearning

Job Contact:

Leah Miller

Contact Title:

Instructional Designer

Phone:

(416)5818158

Website:

www.desouzanurse.ca

Email:

lmiller@desouzanurse.ca

Address:

700 University Ave

Toronto

Ontario

Application Deadline: Dec 23, 2011 11:59PM

Tip of the Day Tuesday

4 Strategies for Getting the Most out of Your Internship

Be Ready and Available: This may seem obvious. However, it might surprise you how many interns don’t realize what exactly this means. You want your supervisor to know that you’re serious about the internship and the industry your in. Be on time for everything, use time wisely, limit your social contact with other colleagues and interns to your breaks and lunch period, and always be readily available.

Go Above and Beyond: While it may be fine to do the minimum that is asked of you, taking on additional tasks and projects is a great way to get more out of your program. Not only will you get additional hands-on training but your supervisor is more likely to give you more responsibility later. Doing a little extra or staying a little later to work on a project goes a long way.

Be Enthusiastic – Have a positive attitude! Your supervisor and colleagues can easily tell if you come across as negative or less than genuine. Successful interns in companies are the ones who take an interest in the company and their role.

Network: A major part of any internship, other than gaining valuable insight and experience, is meeting people and making connections. Get to know other people in your company other than your supervisor or immediate colleagues. If your company has meetings or other functions, introduce yourself to others and ask them about their role in the company. If you want to learn more, ask your supervisor if they could assist you in setting up an informational interview.

Overall, do what is necessary to get the most out of your internship! The more information and skills you can take back with you, the better your chances of success in your career future.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Making It Big Monday

The Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Leadership Skills

1. Have a clear vision of yourself, others, and the world.
Who are you? What do you stand for? How do you want to influence others? How do you want to contribute to the world? Answer questions such as these to formulate a concrete vision of yourself and your world. After you have done this you can start living your life as a leader and making your visions turn to reality!

2. Know and utilize your strengths and gifts.
Everyone has gifts. You also have unique gifts and strengths which you’ve developed over your lifetime. Realizing and utilizing these gifts and strengths will assist you in being a formidable leader.

3. Live in accordance with your morals and values.
Making choices and taking actions aligned with your morals and values helps you succeed almost effortlessly. People sense integrity and will naturally respect your personal opinions and leadership.

4. Lead others with inclusiveness and compassion.
The greatest leaders are those who include everyone in their sphere of influence by recognizing each person’s greatest value. Be sure to look beyond the obvious and see others with insight and compassion.

5. Set definitive goals and follow concrete action plans.
You have to know where your destination is before you can map out a plan to get there. To improve your leadership skills, set specific life goals with timelines.

6. Maintain a positive attitude.
No one respects a negative person. With a positive attitude you are looking at the bright side of life. You will also attract exciting offers and possibilities.

7. Improve communication skills.
Having great leadership skills includes being able to clearly communicate your vision, goals, skills, intentions and so on. To become a great communicator, always strive to improve your verbal, nonverbal, and listening skills.

8. Motivate others to greatness.
A leader is only as powerful as his team. Motivating others to their own greatness will improve a groups energy, increase the vitality of your projects, and move you forward toward achieving your goals.

9. Be willing to admit and learn from failures and weaknesses.
No one is perfect. The most successful leaders know that the key to success is not in avoiding falling or failing, but to learn from their mistakes.

10. Continue to educate and improve yourself.
Never stop learning. Be receptive to everyone’s perceptions and information from around the world and beyond. GROW!

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Fun Facts Friday

10 Interesting Job Search Facts!

Looking for a new job and only relying on Monster.com or the employment office for help? Consider this:

1. Mailing resumes to company staffing departments accounts for only 3 percent of a company’s hires.

2. Newspapers only give around 7 percent of hiring results.

3. 12 percent of job hires come form search firms and employment agencies.

4. 25 percent of hiring results come from networking and employee referrals.

5. The Internet accounts for 33 percent of hiring results.

6. Web sites such as Monster, HotJobs, Yahoo! or CareerBuilder. account for 22.8 percent of all jobs found on the Internet.

7. Niche Boards account for 16.9 percent of jobs found on the Internet.

8. 53.3 percent of jobs found on the Internet are found on company websites.

9. There are more than 40,000 Internet job and career Web sites.

10. A joint survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal.com showed that nearly 95 percent of job seekers and human resource professionals use personal contact and networking to find and fill positions.

(JIST, © 2006), by Richard H. Beatty., To go to the original post CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Become an Art Director

What Does an Art Director Do?

An art director oversees the art, i.e. the photographs and drawn images, that appear in newspapers, magazines, ad campaigns and on book covers. An art director is the person who oversees a design department, working with photo editors and editors to coordinate what images will match up with what words.

An art director also works on creating visual concepts. At a magazine an art director would work to create the specific look and feel of the entire magazine to ensure there’s a unified visual look.

Where Do Art Directors Work?

Art directors work throughout media in advertising, in book publishing and at magazines. Art directors usually specialize in one sector such as advertising or book publishing. At magazines art directors conceive of layouts and the art that will match up with the various stories in the magazine. At book publishing houses art directors often focus solely on book covers and hire designers to create those covers. An art director at some book publishing houses might also do some of the designing. At ad agencies, art directors, create the images that go with an ad campaign.

How Do You Become an Art Director?

Most art directors have degrees from art schools, where they’ve studied graphic design, photography and drawing. (A background in graphic design is usually essential for most art director jobs.) Art directors also need to know various computer programs (most run on Macs) that allow them to work with everything such at photographs or font sizes.

Art directors who’ve gone to art school are usually trained in the computer programs needed to get jobs in the field. Art schools will also provide candidates with a portfolio, which is necessary to land most jobs in this field.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Position Type:

On-campus Part-Time Employment

Job Title:

Residence Assistant

Job Location:

Residence Commons Building

Employment Category:

Residence Commons Building

Job Description:

Residence Assistant

12 positions available. On duty hours vary from week to week.

Start Date: 9/4/2011 End Date: 4/29/2012

Residence Assistants are available to assist Residence students with any problems, or to refer them to the proper resource. All Residence staff are employed to assist in the provision of a safe, secure and comfortable living environment. As such, the staff work with the Residence students to enforce policies and norms and educate Residents in the process.

Job Requirements:

A returning residence student with good communication skill, a good understanding of the Residence rules, and follows them personally.

Application Procedure:

Employer in person

Application Material Required:

Cover Letter

Resumé

Additional Application Information:

Contact Name: Chris Carson

email: ccarson@loyalistc.on.ca

fax: 613-969-1924

extension: 2102

Apply In Person to Hiring Department Contact

Organization:

Loyalist College

Address:

284 Wallbridge-Loyalist Rd.

Belleville

Ontario

Canada

Targeted Programs:

Targeted Clusters

Targeted Programs

Application Deadline: Mar 01, 2012 11:59PM

Tip of the Day Tuesday

Workplace Social Etiquette

Etiquette: the proper, polite way to conduct yourself in certain situations. Nearly everyone holds a job at some point in their lives. Workplaces are full of interactions with co-workers, bosses and others. Proper etiquette is important in workplace social situations because it impacts how you deal with others and how they perceive you.

Benefits
Using proper workplace social etiquette makes a good impression on your co-workers and superiors. Most workplace social etiquette is centered around respect for others. Following etiquette rules shows you are a team player.

Dress
Professional attire should be worn in the workplace. Wearing sloppy, dirty clothes is bad etiquette as well as wearing gaudy or revealing clothing. No matter what you wear, make sure it is neat, clean and appropriate for a professional environment. Do not wear torn jeans or T-shirts with off-color or vulgar sayings on them, even in the most casual workplace. Limit perfume and cologne to a light application or leave it off entirely.

Social Relationships
It's OK to be friends with your co-workers, but don't waste time chatting or gossiping during the workday. It is especially bad etiquette to stand near a co-worker's desk or cubicle and carry on a loud conversation that distracts others in the area. Limit social interactions to breaks, lunchtime and after work.

Personal Calls
Limit personal phone calls in the workplace. Many employers forbid personal phone calls. Be cautious even if your employer allows them. Speak softly so your conversation doesn't bother co-workers in other cubicles and offices. Keep calls short and to the point and do not let a personal phone call interrupt a work-related conversation. If you bring a cell phone to work, keep it in vibrate mode.

Food
Do not eat strong-smelling food in the office, especially if you work in a cubicle environment or open area where odors can travel. It is poor etiquette to subject the entire workplace to onions, garlic or other overwhelming smells. Choose items that won't bother others if you eat at your desk, and go to the lunchroom or another appropriate area if you have potentially bothersome food.


Dec 20, 2009 | By Barb Nefer. To view the original article CLICK HERE

Making It Big Monday

How to Maintain a Positive Attitude in the Workplace

"Forbes" magazine states that as many as 87 percent of U.S. workers don't really like their jobs. This makes it difficult to maintain a good attitude at the office. Maintaining a positive attitude may not be easy but it is essential. Here are some steps you can take to improve your attitude at work:

Step 1
Find ways to focus on the parts of your job you like. For instance, if you enjoy working with people, make time to do that every day by scheduling meetings or visiting clients. You'll still have to deal with the parts of your job you don't like. However you can make a point to spend a little time with the parts of your work you enjoy every day to boost your office attitude.

Step 2
Put up pictures and documents in your workspace that make you happy, such as family photos, letters from satisfied customers or work you're especially proud of doing. Being surrounded by things you like at work can improve your attitude on those difficult days.

Step 3
Anticipate positive outcomes. If you dread a weekly meeting or a particular project, you're likely to have negative feelings. Instead, look for potential positive outcomes, and focus on what's possible instead of on what bad things you think are likely to happen.

Step 4
Give yourself a negativity time limit, and allow yourself 15 minutes or so each day to gripe and complain. After that, focus on the positive.

Step 5
Take a time out. If you're dealing with a co-worker who pushes your buttons or a project that's making you crazy, excuse yourself to take a brisk 5-minute walk around your office building. Clearing your head for a few minutes can help you have a better attitude when you return.

Step 6
Spend time doing things you like outside the office. The richer your life outside of work, the less intense you'll feel about goings-on at the office and the easier it will be for you to maintain a positive attitude.

Aug 10, 2010 | By Holly L. Roberts. To view the original article CLICK HERE

Fun Facts Friday

First Jobs of the Rich and Famous

1. Donald Trump: Trump, now a extremely rich real-estate investor and host of the hit NBC show "The Apprentice," started off by collecting soda bottles for the deposit money.

2. Michael Dell: The founder and CEO of Dell washed dishes at a Chinese restaurant before starting his computer company.

3. Johnny Depp: Before fame, Depp had his own gig in a KISS tribute band. Back then, Depp pocketed about $25 on bad nights; now he makes about $25 million per year.

4. Walt Disney: Before he dominated the cartoon and amusement-park empire, Walt Disney worked as an ambulance driver in France during World War I. He did this after being rejected from the Army for being underage.

5. Jim Carrey: Before becoming one of the most well know comedians, he worked as a janitor mopping floors at a tire factory. He took the job when he was 15 after his father became unemployed. Carrey also had a another job as a security guard. The comedian credits his early lessons in strife to the birth of his love of comedy: He visited local comedy clubs to relieve stress.

6. Suze Orman: Today, she tells people how to spend their money, but during her early years, Orman bussed tables. The personal-finance guru (who barely made it to college) also washed dishes.

7. Clint Eastwood: This ruggedly handsome actor, director and businessman started out as a pool boy. He later worked as a gas-station attendant and a firefighter.

8. Jennifer Aniston: Anistonbegan as both a telemarketer and a waitress before hitting it big as Rachel on "Friends"

9. Quentin Tarantino: This filmmaker, known for flicks such as "Kill Bill" and "Reservoir Dogs," was an usher at an adult movie theater in Southern California.

10. Chris Rock: This comic started his career as a busboy at a Red Lobster franchise in Queens, N.Y.


To view the original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Become a Child Care Worker

What does a childcare worker do?
Childcare workers care for a variety of children from infants to school age children, attending to their basic needs and playing an important role in their development. Organized activities to help stimulate the physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development. Childcare workers keep in contact with parents/guardians to keep them informed on their child’s development, needs, and progress.

What kind of training does a childcare worker need?

Childcare workers need at least a high school diploma, and most employers require some type of post secondary training. Many childcare workers complete associate or bachelor degrees in child development or early childhood education. Many childcare workers are required to pass a background check, be up to date on immunizations, and be trained in CPR and first aid. Childcare workers often receive continuous training on safety and health topics. Some childcare workers have the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and others have the Certified Childcare Professional (CCP).

What are the prospects for a career as a childcare worker?

Employment of childcare workers is expected to grow faster than average for all professions, increasing 18% from 2006 to 2016. The growing population and increased need for childcare services will drive job growth. Job prospects are expected to be excellent especially for childcare workers that are highly qualified. There will be numerous job openings from the need to replace childcare workers that retire, transfer, or leave the field for other reasons.


A career as a childcare worker is a great choice for people with a strong passion for caring for children. Childcare workers must be constantly alert and enthusiastic about their work. They must be mature and understanding and have good physical stamina to be able to keep up with energetic children.

To view the original article CLICK HERE