Why you should take an Introduction Business Technology Class

By Madison Bowden, Toppel Peer Advisor

Business Technology is expanding and dominating not only the business world but also playing a role in almost every work field. Learning the basics to hardware infrastructure and network infrastructure is almost a necessity in this day and age. An introduction to Business Technology class allows you to use technology to your benefit. With an introductory background in Business Technology one can access and create information that is vital in this world.

Albert Einstein once said, “ It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” So why not become knowledgeable in one of the dominating forces of today’s society when it comes to news, media, and ethical standards. Technology allows you to express yourself in a way that could be a selling point for employers. Nowadays, technology can be used to create a personal show and tell of skills by creating your own personal website, personal LinkedIn Page, or even creating a new tool such as an application on your smart phone!

However, without the knowledge of how to make your digital footprint it is hard to make a very big impact. The power of search engines and other technological parts of computer software play a big role in how you can display yourself in an efficient, innovative manner. I encourage everyone to take a Business Technology class to expand their horizons.

Talking to People You Don’t Know is an Effective Way to Network

By Rachel Rooney, Toppel Peer Advisor 

All of the technology in the world today—computers, smart phones, tablets—have great benefits. However, I’ve noticed that it is changing our ability to communication with one another. In one sense, we are able to communicate more globally with people all around the world. And we are able to communicate easier—a simple text gets the message across. However, with all of this I can’t help feeling as though we are losing something. I’ve made an observation on when I am standing in line for an event or in an elevator with other people or in a room for a meeting with people I don’t know. I’ve noticed that people who don’t know each other don’t talk to one another. Instead, we pull out our cell phones. And even that is making us talk less; calling each other is out of fashion, texting is in, but that doesn’t mean we are communicating better.

 

When we do interviewing workshops at Toppel, we ask the famous “tell me about yourself” question. We advise students to answer it the following way: state your name, where you are from, your degree, your year, your leadership experience, and why you think you are a good fit for the job you are applying for. This is known as an elevator pitch. Basically, what you would tell someone if you had from the top floor of an elevator to the ground floor. And if the someone person was the CEO of your dream company. 

I also think that we are at risk for losing something greater than networking; we are losing our stories. There is the history of communication; it began with talking. Before people could write information down or before typewriters or computers were invented, there were words. So the next time you are in a place with unfamiliar people, take the time to get to know them. There are over 7 billion people in this world; you are not going to get to know everyone, so be grateful for the chance to have the people in your life that you do have. You have so much to gain. Over the summer, I worked with college age students from all over the world—Japan, China, Spain, Colombia, Malaysia, Moldova, and America. There was a little bit of the language barrier, but I took the time to learn some key phrases in each of the different languages. I will know some of the amazing people I met there for the rest of my life. Gif Fach, for example is how you pronounce “how are you” in Romanian. University of Miami is the most diverse university in the United States and has many students come to study on exchanges. Study abroad is also a great way to network with people around the world.

I am not here to discredit technology as a form of networking or communicating, but I think we are starting to use it a little too much. People are addicted to their phones. If I asked you if you could live 48 hours without your phone, would you be able to? I think many of you would say no. We don’t have to live without our phones, but you should be able to put them down, especially when you are talking to people. The truth is that you don’t need to be on technology all the time. Take a break and talk to people. 

I was inspired to write this post, by an article I read in Forbes and by one in Riskology. The Forbes article is on the importance of small talk and the Riskology article is on the importance of talking to strangers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2012/03/30/six-reasons-small-talk-is-very-important-and-how-to-get-better-at-it/

http://riskology.co/the-importance-of-talking-to-strangers/

 

For an interesting article by Medical Health on how cell phones are affecting students, read here:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cell-phones-make-sleepy-screen-addicted-socially-awkward-students-their-grades-dont-stand-300562

Did You Know?

By Alysha Gomes, Toppel Peer Advisor

 

 “You never know in today’s day and age,” is what my mother always told me when I asked her questions about impossibilities. I was always that annoying kid pulling on every adults arm asking why and for good reason. Today, anything is possible and when I say anything, I truly mean ANYTHING.

First, please watch the video above if you haven’t already. It gave me chills and in case you didn’t catch the video’s most relevant information regarding students; we’re living in a time where the amount of technology doubles every 2 years. That means that information freshman students receive, who are seeking a technological degree, is outdated by their junior year.

Second, here is some information that boggles my mind.

Did You Know:

This year the US Department of Labor recognized and defined 24 new jobs in their Economic Statistics report. It is predicted that 50+ new jobs will emerge within the next 2 years that have never existed before. 

Virgin Galactic is a spaceline that is planned to take tourists into space next year. Tickets have been available since 2005 and are currently $200,000. 

Stanford University has engineered a genetically programmed cell that can be inserted into the body to detect proteins associated with cancer and, when in contact, produces a protein (drug) that combats the cancer. It is a step toward putting computers into living cells, which MIT researchers are currently working on and predict to accomplish within the next year.

The Ghent University’s Center of Microsystems Technology has developed a curved LCD display that can be embedded in contact lenses and handle projected images using wireless technology. That means text messages, GPS directions, and even projectable sunglasses can be transmitted directly to your eye!

  

 

Tips for a Skype Interview

by Robert Vanisko



  Now that springtime is on its way many UM students are in the middle of applying for their summer internships. One of the most important steps in the applying process is interviewing. But how do you interview for an internship in New York City when you are here in Miami for the rest of the semester? Although phone interviews are common, many employers prefer a face-to-face meeting for a job interview, which is why more and more employers have been turning to Skype interviews. With the frequency of Skype interviews on the rise, it is important to be prepared for one.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for a Skype interview:  

Dress for the occasion
Even though you are interviewing via the Internet, you should still dress professionally. Many job applicants make the mistake of dressing casually or only dressing professionally from the waist up, since that’s all that can be seen on camera. Professional dress is important, not only to impress the interviewer, but to also keep yourself in a professional mindset during the interview.  

Conduct your interview in a quiet location
Make sure you are located in a calm, quiet room for your interview. A crowded, noisy area could make it difficult for you and the employer to hear each other and thus distract from your interview.  

Test your Internet connection prior to the interview
Be sure to test your Internet connection prior to beginning the interview. Although dropped Skype calls are not necessarily your fault, they may reflect poorly on you in the eyes of the employer. Be sure to have an Ethernet cable on hand, as it is much more reliable that wireless Internet.  

Turn off your cell phone and all computer alerts
Just about everybody knows by now that you should never have your cellphone on when going into an interview, but that sentiment still applies to Skype interviews. Text message alerts and ringtones are just as distracting and unprofessional in a Skype interview as they are in a regular interview. Also make sure that email notifications are turned off and any website that can make noise, such as Facebook and AIM, are closed as well.

Look directly into the camera
Eye contact is very important when interviewing for a job, but where are you supposed to look to maintain eye contact in a Skype Interview? Looking directly into the eyes of the interviewer on the screen may feel like eye contact, but to the interviewer it will appear that you are looking down. The best way to maintain contact via Skype is to look directly into the camera. Looking directly into the camera will not only help you maintain eye contact, but it will also help keep you focused throughout the interview.

Microsoft Tips to Help you Edit your Document in a Flash

Priyanka Surio

Ever wonder how to make life easier? Especially with when writing and editing Word documents such as your resume or cover letter? Well worry no more; below the Toppel Peer Advisors have compiled a list of Microsoft shortcuts that are easy to use, simple, and quick to learn. Stop trying to find out where the print preview button is or how to look through your address book in Outlook. Let these shortcuts reduce the time it takes to find things, after all Time = Money.

SHORTCUTS:

Word Documents
CTRL + B = Bold
CTRL+ P = Print
CTRL + V = Paste
CTRL + C = Copy
CTRL + I = Italics
CTRL + S = Save
F12 = Save As Dialog Box
CTRL + F12 = Open Dialog Box
CTRL+ U = Underline
CTRL+ SHIFT + < = Decrease font size CTRL+ SHIFT + > = Increase font size
CTRL + X = Cut the selected text or object
CTRL + Z = Undo the last action
CTRL + Y = Redo the last action
CTRL + N = New Document
CTRL + O = Open a document
CTRL + W = Close a document
CTRL + F = Find text, formatting, and special items
CTRL + H = Replace text, specific formatting, and special items
ALT + CTRL + I = Switch in or out Print Preview
F7 = Spell Check
Shift + F3 = Change the Case of letters (all uppercase, lowercase, case sensitive)
CTRL + 1= Single-space lines
CTRL + 2 = Double-space lines
CTRL + 5 = 1.5-line spacing

Outlook Email
ALT + S= Send an email message through Outlook
CTRL + SHIFT + B = Open the Address Book
CTRL + SHIFT + G = Create a message flag (for importance, due date)
ALT + P = Open the Microsoft Outlook Message Options dialog box and check the option of Request a Read receipt so you can see who is actually reading your email and who isn’t

WebPages
CTRL + K= Insert a Hyperlink in a word document
ALT + LEFT ARROW = Go back one page
ALT + RIGHT ARROW = Go forward one page
F5 = Refresh

Check out even MORE shortcuts here:
Microsoft Office Shortcuts

Happy typing!