Sometimes You Just Need a Vacation!

What if you were told you had to go on a vacation? What if it was required of you whether you were employed or a student?

Well as much as we wish it all should be it isn’t. However, through many statistical reports, those who don’t take vacations tend have severe health problems later on. Many people don’t understand that their mind and body need vacations as a break to reduce stress, ward off burnouts and increase job performance.

“… Vacations -- even if you never leave home -- are all but essential, the research tells us. Not just for unwinding and de-stressing, but because they often serve as a time to regroup and generate new ideas, making us even more productive when we return. And Americans already take far less vacation time than people in nations around the world,” stated Rod Kurtz of the Huffington Post.

From asking a few students around campus why they think people don’t take more vacations is because they are so expensive. Well what if I told you that according to CNN Money, approximately $67 billion in vacation days goes unused. That is basically saying each person throws away money every year because they do not take up their allotted vacation time. CNN continued to stated that, “…an average employed American worker got 18 vacation days last year, but only used 14 of those desirable days off.”

As many articles contributed, it can cost a lot to go on vacation which leaves you wondering is it worth it? Well through some research, there have been a few vacations that may leave you surprised on how affordable they can really be.

Being in Klamath Falls there are a few great getaways fairly close and some that aren’t but can be affordable if you’re willing to reduce some expenses.

Viva Las Vegas!

If you and 3 friends wanted to visit the grand city, you could get a 5 star hotel for as little as $95 a night. According to Expedia values do change, but during this time of year rates for Las Vegas are more affordable.

 

 Seattle, WA

If you and 7 friends wanted to stay in a nice vacation home for an entire week, for as little as $1,100, then Seattle is the spot for you. You can bring your own food to cover additional costs and if you wanted to plan your trip for the holidays you can see the Christmas Ship Festival. That’s $91 per person for your whole weeks stay.

 

There is always the option of visiting the coast for a few days. Several vacation homes offer a night rate or a weekly rate: meaning that you can get a bigger home for about the same price as a hotel. Isn’t that great? Getting to have 12 people and it cost $1,100 for a whole week sounds great, plus if you bring your own good to make at the house instead of going out every night for dinner sure does save a lot of money.

  Where Dreams Do Come True!

 You could go to Disneyland this Christmas break. If you take a group of 4, you can rent a home and pay for your tickets for less than $350 a person for 4 days. So you may be thinking this is quite a bit of money for a college student, but if you start saving now you would only need to save $7 a day. That’s less than 1 hour of work at a minimum wage job.

 

Muy Caliente!

And if you wanted to get even a little more crazy: $689 a person for a Christmas break adventure to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and stay at the all-inclusive Palmer Beach Resort and Spa. If you started saving now you would only need to save $13.78 a day – just under 2 hours of work at a minimum wage job.

The key is to have fun. Hopefully you will find yourself the perfect getaway. Good luck!

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/14/how-important-are-vacations_n_963002.html

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/25/pf/unused_vacation_days/

Color-ology = Increased Productivity

Can the Color of Your Study Area and Its Surroundings Help You Be More Productive?

Studies have been shown that there are cooler hues in the color spectrum that might help you improve your concentration, resulting in a higher test score or better overall performance. While the productivity color scheme is the main focus of this blog, I bet that you are asking yourself, is there truly a psychological aspect to color coordinating?

One example that utilizes color for psychological reasons is your everyday McDonalds. Utilizing red stimulates hunger and tends to make people make decisions quickly (Graff). That leaves you with something to seriously think about the next time you drive by McDonalds and make a hasty decision to buy french-fries with a milkshake or even that Big Mac Combo.

Don’t believe me? How many other Fast Food Restaurants do you know that utilize the color red?

 

Needless to say there is more than anyone can count.

Okay so there seems to be some truth to this “Color-ology,” but what colors will help you in everyday situations such as school and work.

Blue -According to MoreDays.com the color blue increases your ability to concentrate and it boosts your performance. They even mentioned how wearing blue for an interview could be beneficial.

Green – “Green has replaced the more clinical white, since it has been found to calm patients more. Green also counteracts headaches, disturbances of vision and loss of concentration among surgeons and their medical assistants - problems that come out in bright white rooms or attire (Mak).”

Maybe you can’t paint your study area or don’t want to go through the trouble of painting it, but you might want to consider adding decorative items with the color hues of blue and green.

Even Oregon Tech is moving toward the methods of color schematics. With the student Success Center and the Testing Center looking forward to some possible changes, we will see the blue hue utilized.

Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the color and concentration benefits of this upcoming change for Oregon Tech and you will get to answer your still lingering question of:  Will Color-ology really help me?

Graff, Walter. "Color Psychology." Color Psychology. Walter Graff, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

Novak, Martin. "Five Best Colors That Increase Productivity." Moredays. Moredays, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.
Mak, Martin. "How Colors Can Improve Your Mood, Concentration And Memory." Web log post. Ezine Articles. SparkNet, n.d. Web. .

Free Labor = Paid Labor: Why Job Volunteering is Important

CA Extreme
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Are you eager to get your dream job? Most of us job seekers and/or students are. But what if your dream job doesn't have any openings or when they do have an opening someone already within the company gets hired?

You should simply ask yourself,

"How do I get my name off that list of unwanted applicants and in the door?"
Answer: job volunteering!

Yes, it is as simple as that. A lot of companies may not have regular position open at the moment, but they may have a volunteer program that can help you in multiple ways of getting that dream job.

So what is it about job volunteering that puts your foot in the door? 

Well, let me tell you. There are 5 key things that you will receive from job volunteering.

• 1.     Creating Network and Company Contacts

When you begin volunteering at a company you will meet several of the employees. This gives you the opportunity to create contacts that can later give you a reference, whether it is within the same company or a similar job situation. Another important part of creating contacts and establishing this network is this may open up several doors you never even knew were possible. Just remember if you know 5 contacts and those contacts each know 5 more contacts, etc. you have more than quadrupled your network.

• 2.   Show Your Skill Set to Your Future Employers

As you perform tasks while volunteering, your supervisor will be able to view your skills. This will also open the opportunity for them to analyze your ambition, work-ethic, motivation, personality, and consistency. This can put your name at the top of the list because where many applicants they will see in interview they will only get to hear about their skills, while the supervisor will know firsthand about yours.

•       3.   Establish More Hands-On Experience

Many things you learn in a classroom cannot compare to on-the-job experience. By volunteering you have the opportunity to really be active in the position you are interested in. This will be a great incentive for your supervisor to higher you. Not only will already know how to do something, but how this particular company likes things done. This is desirable by employers because it reduces the amount of time and money spent on job training for new employees.

•            4.   Create Additional Skills

As you volunteer you will find that you will receive tasks that might be outside the regular scope of duties for the position you are interested in. This is a great opportunity to advance your knowledge and set yourself beyond a competitor. If later you realize you want to work with another company or possibly a different position, this knowledge gives you the opportunity to be more flexible in what an employer needs and is looking for.

•      5.   Lasting Impression

The most important thing is creating that lasting impression. If you are a student and won’t be pursuing a position until you get the certification or education needed before applying, the job volunteering gives you the opportunity to be more than just a name on a resume.

While job volunteering can be a great opportunity for you, just remember it can hinder you as well. Making sure you put your best foot forward is what will make volunteering worth your time. If you don’t put in 100%, the employer may doubt your work ethic. Make the employer realize the hard work you can do while being a volunteer, so they know what to expect when they do hire you. 

A New Member of the Oregon Tech Career Staff!

Hello there!

I am the new Oregon Tech Career Services Web Assistant, which means, yours truly will be providing you with future blogs.

I am very excited to share the information and services that this department has to offer.

So you can get to know a little about who I am:

I am from a small town of Pendleton, Oregon and was raised in a suburb of there called Cayuse, Oregon (population I believe is now 16). I am currently a Junior and a Senior at Oregon Tech; I am in the process of dual majoring in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Allied Health Management, respectively. I have been active in multiple organizations and clubs since I began at Oregon Tech.

I was crowned Miss Southern Gem 2012, which gave me the opportunity to work as an advocate for my platform: "Prevention of Impaired Driving: Driving Sober, Saves Lives" through-out the southern 11 counties of Oregon, and also provided me with over $7,000 in scholarships (a BIG thank you to Oregon Tech's President Chris Maples, the Miss Klamath County Scholarship Program and all of their wonderful sponsors).

 For two years I was the President of the Oregon Tech Dance and Cheer team and a member for 3. I have recently become an active member in the local Rock Mountain Elk Foundation. I have participated in events with local organizations such as Soroptimist of Klamath Falls, Mule Deer Foundation, and many more.

I helped co-host and organize Mr. OIT 2013, with the now Miss Oregon, Allison Cook, while raising funds for one of my favorite organizations Children's Miracle Network Hospital. I am happy to say that I have helped raise nearly $2,500 in the past 3 years for their amazing cause.

Beyond my involvements, I enjoy spending time with friends, back-packing in the Eagle Caps of Oregon, riding horses, and cooking. My future ambition is to own my own clinic to perform sonograms to patients as they develop through each trimester of pregnancy.

Ultimately I think you will get to know me even more as I begin to blog. I hope you enjoy reading my writing on the blog, as much as I like writing it.

Please visit us on the Career Services other social media forums where you will see things from "Job of the Day," latest updates, career tips, and much more!

https://www.facebook.com/OITCareerServices
https://twitter.com/OITCareerCenter

Have a great year!

Sincerely,

Megan Cook

Faculty and Staff of Oregon Tech Shine at Convocation 9.17.2013

Award Winners
(From left back: LeAnn Maupin, Kevin Brown,
 David Thaemert, Erin Foley. Front: Jill Schultz)

Sept. 17, 2013, Klamath Falls, ORE. – Oregon Institute of Technology honored its own on September 17th during the annual convocation of faculty and staff prior to the start of the 2013-14 academic year. Employees were recognized for outstanding service to students and to the university.

Oregon Tech’s Student Affairs Division awarded the Most Valuable Partner Award to recognize exceptional collaboration with the Student Affairs staff. This year, the award was given to LeAnn Maupin, Professor and Department Chair of Medical Imaging Technology, for her assistance to the division. Maupin was recognized for her willingness to help others, patience, and guidance in how to effectively navigate through college.

The Oregon Tech Foundation presented the Faculty Achievement Award recognizing outstanding accomplishments of Oregon Tech faculty members whose service makes a difference in students’ lives and adds significantly to the vitality of the university. This year, the Foundation honored Jill Schultz, Professor of Dental Hygiene, and Dr. David Thaemert, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. Professor Schultz was praised for her ability to think outside the box about new approaches that would serve her department, the school, or both. Dr. Thaemert was recognized for his continuous improvement of his teaching style. He constantly revisits, revises, and redesigns his courses to make the information more accessible and understandable to students.

The Oregon Tech Foundation also awarded the Faculty Alumni Engagement Award to faculty members who have demonstrated enthusiasm, commitment, creativity, and cooperation in their efforts to engage alumni with their department, the alumni relations office, and the university as a whole. The Foundation recognized Dr. David Thaemert from Civil Engineering and Dr. Kevin Brown from the Communication department. Dr. Brown’s work with alumni of Oregon Tech is enthusiastic, creative, and dedicated as evidenced in the time, energy, and commitment he shows throughout the year to ensure the success of alumni relations.

Richard Ellis, an Instrument Technician for Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering Program at Oregon Tech Wilsonville, received the Oregon Public Employee Union Classified Staff Award. Ellis helps with class and student projects, provides maintenance of research lab equipment and instruments, participates in research projects, and is an energetic member of the Sustainability, Recycling, and Safety committees, just to mention a few.

Dr. Erin Foley, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, was presented the President’s Staff Award given to an individual whose achievements extend to the university as a whole, who puts the wellbeing of the university above personal needs, and who makes Oregon Tech a better place to work. Foley has worked at Oregon Tech since 1999. She has taken on a variety of positions in her time at Oregon Tech and during her tenure, Dr. Foley has worked diligently to serve Oregon Tech students and to support their efforts in and outside the classroom.  Her dedicated service has made a significant difference in the campus community and the vitality of student life on campus.  Dr. Foley’s unwavering involvement in student activities is well-known and appreciated.

About the Oregon Tech

Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is one of seven universities in the Oregon University System, and the only public institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through hands-on learning. Oregon Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls and an urban, industry-focused campus in Wilsonville. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.

*This posting was brought to you by Oregon Tech's News, http://www.oit.edu/news/09-17-2013/faculty_and_staff_of_oregon_tech_shine_at_convocation.aspx. September 17, 2013

Standing out, in group interviews?

Some companies, rather than interview one candidate over lunch or dinner, will interview a group of candidates.

So you just got asked to a group interview, how should you prepare?

But beware the group interview.  While you may be tempted to distinguish yourself from those other losers, by wowing the interviewers with your superior wit, intellect, and experience -- don't do it.  One thing interviewers look for in a group interview is how well you get along with others.  So attempts to play "I can top that story..." or crush your fellow candidates like a bug, may be frowned upon.

What's a person of your superior wit, intellect, and experience to do?

Greet and shake hands with the other candidates as well as the interviewers.

Be convivial -- chat with the other candidates before the interview begins.
Listen intently when others are speaking.
Direct answers to interview questions to the interviewer, but also look around and make eye contact with everyone else.

Don't get drawn into arguments. Maintain your composure.
If there is a very quiet, shy candidate, invite that person into the discussion.
Don't join others behaving badly: if several candidates are ordering the most expensive items on the menu, over-imbibing, hitting on the wait staff or texting under the table, don't join them.  Also skip the side-whispers, eye rolls and other evil alliances.

As with any interview, follow up with a letter to your interviewers thanking them for the dinner and the opportunity, as well as re-emphasizing some of your good qualities and continued interest in working for their organization.

Provided by: Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/

The online application said not to call...

CALL THEM ANYWAYS!

"The online application said not to call." "I don't want to bug the person."

Asking someone how your applications process is not the worst thing you could do!

It's kind of you to think that way, because etiquette is about consideration for the other person. But unless you are applying for a position where you are expected to sit around waiting for the phone to ring, you should make the call.

How we behave in the interview (or sales) process is an indication of how we will behave in the job. So make the call! 

Show them you are a self-starter with initiative -- not someone they will have to light a fire under. Same goes for sales or account representatives -- will you be the person who checks in with the client to see how the product or service is working? Or will you disappear?

Credit to the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/ for providing this information.

Not the forks again!

Forks you may recognize:  Fork #2 is a Dinner Fork and Fork #3 is a Salad Fork.  In this map, the main course will come before the salad, so the salad fork is pictured closer to the plate.  That is a European tradition often used in very formal meals.  Most of the time you will see those two forks reversed, with the Dinner Fork closest to the plate.  Sometimes both Dinner and Salad Forks will be exactly the same size, so again, start with the fork on the outside.

Above the plate is the Dessert Fork. (Yay!)  Don't despair if you don't see a Dessert Fork when you are seated at the table.  Sometimes the Dessert Fork arrives on the plate with dessert.

What is that funky, curvy fork to the far left? Fork #1 is a Fish Fork. Its shape is instrumental in helping separate the fish on your plate from the bones.  (I know some find it disturbing when your third course is looking back at you, but that's the way of it.)

Our last fork, tiny little Fork #8 is the first fork in the meal.  It's a Seafood Fork, also known as a Cocktail Fork. You may see this resting in the bowl of your Soup Spoon when the First Course is a Seafood Course, such as shrimp cocktail or scallops.  Notice this fork has three prongs.  A similar fork with two prongs is an Escargot Fork.

For you fork snobs, there is also a Lobster Fork, Oyster Fork, Fruit Fork, Strawberry Fork, Pastry Fork and Ice Cream Fork (which we have mentioned before looks a lot like its hillbilly cousin, the "Spork.")  Now that you are in the know, keep it under wraps from anyone about to go crazy with a Bridal Registry.

This tip was provided by: the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/

Oregon Tech's Etiquette Dinner

Business Etiquette Dinner

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

5:30-7:30pm, Mt. Mazama

If you’ve ever sat down to a formal meal and wondered “What are all of those forks for?” or “Is this topic appropriate to bring up?” The Career Services Business Etiquette Dinner will answer these questions and put you at ease.  The dinner is a fun, non-threatening way to learn business etiquette skills while enjoying a full-course meal!

Some of the topics that will be covered are: appropriate ordering, correct silverware usage, appropriate topics for mealtime discussion, and many other aspects to teach students how to successfully conduct oneself in one of the more delicate aspects of the employment process.

It’s not just dinner… this is business. Professional dining skills are an essential part of an executive’s basic “wardrobe.”

The Business Etiquette Dinner is for Oregon Tech students only. Tickets are $10 and will be sold online (credit only). Participants will enjoy a catered, five-course meal and receive tips on how to handle social networking events from table hosts.

Please reserve your seat by Friday, February 8

and come dressed in business attire! 

For reservations go to

www.myinterfase.com/oit/student

and click on Career Events

or call Career Services at 885-1020

career@oit.edu

For more information on this event, please contact Jan Goodyear at Jan.Goodyear@oit.edu or call 541.885.1023.

AHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOO

There is a lot of that going around. The state of Oregon is at a record high for flu diagnoses!   Here are some rules of the fungal jungle:

Always carry tissues, because you may not sneeze into or blow your nose on your napkin at the table.  Can't remember to carry tissues?  Leave yourself a reminder on your cell phone.

If you are at a table with food and you have to sneeze or cough, try to get up and walk away (or dive) from the table.  Sometimes there is not time -- it just sneaks up on you and wham!  There it is. In that case, try to sneeze or cough down, away from the table, away from the food and into your tissue.  (Some will say, "Sneeze into your elbow," but if you are wedged in with people on either side, you might miss and hit your neighbor. And if you have ever been on the receiving end of that, it's hard not to scream.)

In any case, excuse yourself from the table and go wash your hands (in the restroom, not the kitchen or wet bar sink.) If the sneezing or coughing continues, you may have to excuse yourself from the meeting, party or event.

Not all who are sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose is viral.  Some people have food allergies or sensitivities to dusty or dry conditions.  The polite thing to do when someone sneezes, is to not recoil in horror.

Stay healthy. stay warm, the worst is almost behind us!






Tip provided by: Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/