Opening Day for the 2008 baseball season was Saturday, and the 13th ranked Tigers got off to a great start. Playing a double-header against Mercer because of a rain out on Friday, the Tigers won the first game 12-5. The second game of the day was much closer with Clemson edging out Mercer 6-5. The Tigers finished the series on Sunday by defeating Mercer for the third time 10-3.
I was not sure if Clemson was going to be very successful this year after losing several key players to the MLB last year. There are a lot of new players that are getting substantial playing time, and they proved they could play this weekend. I am looking forward to seeing how much better this team will get as the season continues.
Baseball has always been a love of mine, and I really enjoy going to the games. Saturday was a picture perfect day for baseball. The weather was great which makes watching the game much more enjoyable. There is nothing like going to a baseball game on a Saturday afternoon in Clemson, SC, and I am excited about the year to come for Clemson Baseball.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Writing Cover Letters
Being new to the process of applying for a job, I had no idea of the importance of using a cover letter. I, like many people, thought that applying for a job involved sending a copy of my resume and then having a formal interview. Little did I know that the technique of using a cover letter can greatly improve my chances of obtaining the job.
I thought the advice given about cover letters in the articles was very informative. I most certainly agree that cover letters should be personalized to each individual company. A "mass" cover letter would not be beneficial because it would essentially be the same as the resume. Gathering information and doing research on each company and letting the company know you have done your "homework" is key. It will let the company know you are serious about the job.
Using the "P.S." technique seems like a very smart idea. It adds a touch of personalization to your cover letter, and it lets the company know that you have taken time to write the letter directly to them. I am going to try to utilize this technique in my own cover letter.
I thought the advice given about cover letters in the articles was very informative. I most certainly agree that cover letters should be personalized to each individual company. A "mass" cover letter would not be beneficial because it would essentially be the same as the resume. Gathering information and doing research on each company and letting the company know you have done your "homework" is key. It will let the company know you are serious about the job.
Using the "P.S." technique seems like a very smart idea. It adds a touch of personalization to your cover letter, and it lets the company know that you have taken time to write the letter directly to them. I am going to try to utilize this technique in my own cover letter.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Interview Tips
The two articles I read were "Minor Matters that Make your Interview," by Erin Hovanec, and "An Interview Stragey: Telling Stories," by Joe Turner. Both articles gave helpful strategies to perform well at an interview.
The article by Joe Turner states there are two types of interviews commonly used. The first is the traditional interview, where there interviewer will ask you questions to discover if you have the skills and knowledge required for the job. The second type, which is beginning to be used more often, is called a competency-based interview. The interviewer still asks the same types of questions, but he or she will also ask questions to discover if you fit into the company. It is important to have a few short stories to show the interviewer what kind of person you are and what type of situations you have been in.
Erin Hovanec's article gives tips on not overlooking minor details that can be pivotal to a good interview. It is smart to lay out an outfit the day before so that you are not rushing to get ready. Also, make sure that you have all materials ready that you might need, such as copies of your resume and references. One minor detail that might be overlooked is making sure to eat a substantial meal prior to the interview. One last detail that might be forgotten is to make sure you know where you are going. Each of these details can easily be overlooked when it comes to preparing for an interview, so it would be smart to take a few minutes to make sure they get taken care of.
The most important thing I took away from these articles is to be myself in the interview. The interviewer is looking to see what kind of person I am. It is important to stay calm and be relaxed, and taking care of minor details can help ease stress.
The article by Joe Turner states there are two types of interviews commonly used. The first is the traditional interview, where there interviewer will ask you questions to discover if you have the skills and knowledge required for the job. The second type, which is beginning to be used more often, is called a competency-based interview. The interviewer still asks the same types of questions, but he or she will also ask questions to discover if you fit into the company. It is important to have a few short stories to show the interviewer what kind of person you are and what type of situations you have been in.
Erin Hovanec's article gives tips on not overlooking minor details that can be pivotal to a good interview. It is smart to lay out an outfit the day before so that you are not rushing to get ready. Also, make sure that you have all materials ready that you might need, such as copies of your resume and references. One minor detail that might be overlooked is making sure to eat a substantial meal prior to the interview. One last detail that might be forgotten is to make sure you know where you are going. Each of these details can easily be overlooked when it comes to preparing for an interview, so it would be smart to take a few minutes to make sure they get taken care of.
The most important thing I took away from these articles is to be myself in the interview. The interviewer is looking to see what kind of person I am. It is important to stay calm and be relaxed, and taking care of minor details can help ease stress.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Rhetoric
Over the past two weeks we have been exposed to two different forms of persuasive techniques through MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail and the guest speakers from the Army. We also learned about Aristotle's rhetorical triangle that is made up of ethos, pathos, and logos. I would like to look at Franklin D. Roosevelt's Declaration of War to Japan speech to analyze its rhetorical strength.
In President Roosevelt's opening sentence, he addresses a number of important people and explains the reason for the speech; the United States was attacked by Japan. He uses logos in the sense that he expains when and where Japan attacked. In the next few sentences, he uses pathos by telling the people how the Japanese were keeping relations civil while they were actually secretly planning an attack. This information was intended to make the people realize the dishonesty of the Japanese. The President informs the people that many lives have been lost which can be seen as logos in the sense that it is a statistic, and it is also ethos because Roosevelt is sympathizing with the country. Roosevelt states that he has taken every measure of defense as the Commander and Chief of the armed forces, and the American people will overcome the loss. He reassures the people of his power and credibility and also things will be all right. Leading up to his request to Congress to declare war on Japan, he states that America is in danger and that some sort of action must take place. By informing the people that the country is in danger but can be triumphant if action is taken, Roosevelt is appealing to the emotions of the people.
This speech contains a great amount of ethos, pathos, and logos, and it had to "pack a punch" because action was needed quickly. The difference between this speech and MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail is that the President had to get his message across quickly and effectively, while Martin Luther King Jr. had time to draft his letter in a manner that would be most persuasive. I believe if the Army recruiters had performed a presentation to persuade us to think about joining the Army, it would have been much more similar to Roosevelt's speech because they would have had to get their message across in a shorter time. Roosevelt presented his information quickly and efficiently and provided enough statistics and emotions to persuade his audience. In many occasions it is important to be short and sweet, and President Roosevelt was able to capture his audience in an effective way.
In President Roosevelt's opening sentence, he addresses a number of important people and explains the reason for the speech; the United States was attacked by Japan. He uses logos in the sense that he expains when and where Japan attacked. In the next few sentences, he uses pathos by telling the people how the Japanese were keeping relations civil while they were actually secretly planning an attack. This information was intended to make the people realize the dishonesty of the Japanese. The President informs the people that many lives have been lost which can be seen as logos in the sense that it is a statistic, and it is also ethos because Roosevelt is sympathizing with the country. Roosevelt states that he has taken every measure of defense as the Commander and Chief of the armed forces, and the American people will overcome the loss. He reassures the people of his power and credibility and also things will be all right. Leading up to his request to Congress to declare war on Japan, he states that America is in danger and that some sort of action must take place. By informing the people that the country is in danger but can be triumphant if action is taken, Roosevelt is appealing to the emotions of the people.
This speech contains a great amount of ethos, pathos, and logos, and it had to "pack a punch" because action was needed quickly. The difference between this speech and MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail is that the President had to get his message across quickly and effectively, while Martin Luther King Jr. had time to draft his letter in a manner that would be most persuasive. I believe if the Army recruiters had performed a presentation to persuade us to think about joining the Army, it would have been much more similar to Roosevelt's speech because they would have had to get their message across in a shorter time. Roosevelt presented his information quickly and efficiently and provided enough statistics and emotions to persuade his audience. In many occasions it is important to be short and sweet, and President Roosevelt was able to capture his audience in an effective way.
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