Assessing writing skills
Once the testing window arrives, there is nothing else we can do but reassure our students that they are ready and they can do this. If students are feeling particularly nervous, try having them write a confidence statement, such as “I’m going to rock this test!” or “This test is going to be a piece of cake!” Even if it seems corny, this positive selftalk can really help your middle schoolers feel good going into the testing situation (Wolpert-Gawron 2017).
Writing skills test
Preparing for high-stakes tests is necessary, but it can also be ineffective if not done in a way that works best for your students. Our purpose this month is to provide you with the tools you need to effectively prepare your students for standardized testing.
We should be prepping our students for high-stakes testing through our daily curriculum—not by bombarding them with practice test after practice test a month before the testing date. In our minds, test prep is about organically teaching students comprehension, self-monitoring, and problem-solving strategies through engaging instructional activities. This way, they can more successfully navigate the test with stamina, engagement, and confidence. These are not things that you can develop within your students in a month—it is a year-long effort.
The aims of the teaching programme
All assessment starts (or should start) from a consideration of the aims of instruction.
For example, if the (or one) aim of a language course is to enable the learners to do well in an IELTS academic writing examination then this will be very influential in terms of the types of assessment tasks we use and the way in which we measure performance. The backwash (or washback, if you prefer) from the examination format will almost inevitably have to be reflected in the task types we set.
If, on the other hand, our aim is to enable the learners to operate successfully in a work environment then we will set different kinds of assessment tasks and measure performance against different criteria. In this case, a priority will be to measure how accurately and with how much communicative success the learners can handle the specific register and functions required by their work context.
Finally, if we are aiming at enabling our learners to function adequately in an English-speaking environment (perhaps as an immigrant or temporary resident), then this, too, will fundamentally affect the tasks we set and the benchmarks against which we measure success. Here, for example, we might be dealing with form filling, work getting and accessing services.
These three factors are to do with ensuring reliability and validity. For more on those two concepts, see the guide to testing, assessment and evaluation. The rest of this guide assumes basic familiarity with the content of that guide.
Fulfilling all three criteria adequately requires a little care.
Getting the full picture
The first step is to set out exactly what writing skills are the objects of the teaching programme. To do this, we have to answer these 4 questions (which come with a few examples of the kinds of answers we might get):
- What sorts of texts will our learners need to be able to produce? I.e., in which genre(s) will they need to function?
- Emails / letters (formal or informal, interactional or transactional)?
- Blogs?
- Notes?
- Form filling?
- Announcements?
- Advertisements?
- Narratives?
- Academic essays? In which subject areas?
- Descriptions?
- What are the purposes of the learners’ writing?
- For basic communication with colleagues?
- For academic purposes?
- For social purposes in an English-speaking setting?
- For informal or formal interpersonal communication?
- What functions do the learners need to be able to perform?
- Expressing needs?
- Stating opinion?
- Apologising?
- Providing information?
- Eliciting information?
- Sequencing events?
- Commenting on opinions?
- What topics will our learners have to be familiar with?
- Social matters?
- Dealing with officialdom?
- Service providers?
- Entertainment and leisure?
- Travel arrangements?
- The media?
- Personal anecdotes?
- Medical matters?
- Specific study subjects?
- Specific occupational areas?
Sources:
https://www.nsta.org/evolving-students-writing-skills
https://www.eltconcourse.com/training/inservice/skills/assessing_writing.html
Certificate Programs That Lead to Well-Paying Jobs
Another high-paying job that doesn’t require formal education or certification is an air traffic controller. This position can quickly earn well above $100,000 without a degree, depending on your location. The field, however, is quite competitive and previous work experience is highly desirable. Generally, the top applicants have a combination of formal education in a related field and extensive experience.
Six-Month Certificate Programs That Lead To High-Paying Jobs
There are countless career options you can pursue depending on your financial needs, values, interests, skills, education and training. While some jobs require a college degree, others may call for a high school diploma and specialized certificate. Many certificate programs offer the opportunity to increase your earning potential over time as you advance in your career.
In this article, we list 10 six-month certificate programs, high-paying certificate jobs and other fast certifications to consider for a fulfilling career.
What Is a Certificate Program?
A certificate program offers special training to help you develop the skills and experiences necessary for a particular job. There are certificates for jobs in a variety of industries, including healthcare, administration, and information technology (IT).
These programs can be useful for people who are just starting their careers, as well as for people who already have years of experience and want to boost their skills, and even for those who are looking for a mid-life career change.
Why Get a Certificate?
There are many benefits to completing a certificate program. If you are starting your job search, completing a certificate program will boost your skills and abilities, and it can even help you stand out in the job market.
For example, a number of IT certificate programs help people develop skills and knowledge bases that are necessary for entry into the IT industry. There are also certificates in management, such as project management certificates.
Keep in mind, however, that certificates are not the same as professional licenses and certifications. Licenses are required for particular jobs, such as teaching and cosmetology.
Certifications show that a person has gained skills in a particular field. For example, there are accounting certifications that can help an accountant move up in their career. These certifications typically involve taking an exam. Sometimes you can take a certificate program to help you prepare for licensure or certification.
Cybersecurity Certification
Introduction: Working on a network or system can have its own vulnerabilities and weak spots. Cybersecurity ensures that the integrity of information and the data of an organization and its network infrastructures are preserved and protected at all times. It is quite apparent that there will always be a need for Cybersecurity in any organization and that skills in this domain will always be in demand making it one of the best certifications to get in 2021.
Skills or tools: Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, Firewalls, Antivirus Software, Managed Detection and Response Service (MDR), PKI Services, etc.
Phlebotomy Technicians
They are tasked with preparing a patient’s blood for lab testing as well as attending to patients who have adverse reactions after their blood is drawn.
Quick Certifications That Pay Well in 2022
In conclusion, there are many other quick certifications that pay well without the need for a 4-year degree program. The most important thing to consider would be your passion, interest, future career opportunities, and financial abilities. These programs can act as a springboard for advanced careers.
References:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/6-month-certificate-programs
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/certificate-programs-that-lead-to-high-paying-jobs-4171913#:~:text=10%20High-Paying%20Jobs%20that%20Require%20(or%20Recommend)%20a,…%206%20Court%20Reporter.%20…%20More%20items…
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/certificate-programs-that-lead-to-high-paying-jobs-4171913
https://intellipaat.com/blog/best-certifications-for-high-paying-jobs/
https://exoticcareers.com/quick-certifications-that-pay-well/
The Most Interesting Parts of U.S. – Midwest
The Midwest part of the United States is known for its famous big cities and fascinating wildlife areas. The Midwest is made up of twelve states and each of these states contains a lot of interesting and unique places that you can visit or plan to visit in your life. Some are well-known, but others have a more secret background.
Nevertheless, they are all worth visiting and enjoyed. For those eager to visit the famous Midwest, we provide this essay on travel with list of the most interesting parts of Midwest USA. With such wonderful destinations, fun and excitement are guaranteed.
- Cleveland, Ohio
The second largest city in the state of Ohio is located right on Lake Eire and is one of the major metropolitan areas from the United States. Cleveland is one of the most popular cities in the USA and it’s one of the landmarks of this country as well and this is because it has reinvented itself over the years, managing to attract more and more tourists with each year. If you’re a sports lover, you’ll have the chance to watch them live here, in the huge stadiums.
There are a lot of places that you can check out in this city if you decide to visit it: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the West Side Market are only some of them. Apart from that, Cleveland also has many interesting museums that you might want to check out.
- Traverse City, Michigan
If you need some time far away from the madding crowd, Traverse City, Michigan is the best place for you. The city has a few wineries you might want to visit if you are a fan of wine tasting and also a shopping district where you can purchase everything you desire.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sitting on the west shore of Lake Michigan, you can find Milwaukee, the fourth largest city in the Midwest. This metropolis is famous for its breweries, which you should try and visit. Some other interesting places you might want to enjoy are: The Milwaukee Art Museum and the Harley-Davidson Museum- places in which you’ll spend hours just admiring the amazing pieces exhibited there.
- Rapid City and the Black Hills, South Dakota
If you find yourself in the Midwest, you might want to check out these two places. South Dakota hosts a few hotspots in terms of tourist attractions with the Custer State Park- a 71.000 – acre park famous for having free roaming hordes of bison and the Sylvan Lake. Mount Rushmore is another amazing landmark you wouldn’t want to miss, along with the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs which contains the largest concentration of mammoth bones in the world. Intriguing, isn’t it?
- Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is one of the most famous cities in the Midlands, and for the right reasons. As one of the biggest cities in the Midlands, Chicago is also one of the most visited cities in the country and there are solid reasons for this. You can start off by visiting the Willis Tower which is the largest skyscraper in the USA and the third largest in the World, with perfect views that can be admired from the last floor.
You might also want to visit the Skydeck Chicago if you desire to witness one of the most amazing views of the streets, especially at night. The museums in the city offer a large variety of expositions that you can see and admire: The Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, and the History Museum will offer you impressive exhibitions. Chicago has so much to offer that you should spend at least a week in the city to cover all of them.
- Kansas City
Straddling two states- Missouri and Kansas, this city is renowned for its fountains, as you can admire more than 200 of them here, as well as for its barbeque style. For music lovers out there, this is the best place to enjoy blues and jazz, as their sweet sound is played on the streets almost every day. Other interesting places that you might want to check out are Oceans of Fun and the famous public libraries – places in which you can really lose yourself- figuratively!
- Minneapolis and St. Paul
These twin cities are famous for their lakes, malls and baseball teams, so if these ones are among your interests, you should pay a visit to these wonderful cities. With many good restaurants and amazing Midwestern landscapes, this area will for sure provide you with nice experiences.
The Midwest is a very large area of the United States and it is worth visiting. Consider adding these place to your bucket list and try crossing them as soon as possible and you’ll enrich yourself with one of the best experiences regarding the American adventure a tourist can achieve. From the impressive skyscrapers to amazing rocking festivals and unique museums, the Midwest offers its visitors unforgettable experiences.
Traveling On A Student’s Budget: From Hitchhiking To Couch Surfing
Young people around the world like to travel around and see new things, meet new people and create memories. The number one issue that most students face is their lack of money for such excursions into the unknown. Luckily, there are ways to travel at relatively low prices and still see the world and experience everything it has to offer.
Hitchhiking
The most popular way of traveling cheaply (or even for free) is hitchhiking. Finding a Good Samaritan every once in a while shouldn’t be too difficult. All it takes is raising your hand next to the road and hitching a ride to wherever the driver is headed and is willing to take you.
Paying for lunch or for drinks along the way is a great way to repay their kindness and keep moving on. Just remember to be careful about hitchhiking and don’t be afraid to be picky about your drivers – some people might want to do you more harm than good.
Volunteering
Many student organizations offer free travel and accommodations for their volunteers, offering you a great way to travel cheaply. While you will have to do some volunteering along the way, it still beats paying for your own expenses. You will not only see new places but also learn new skills and meet new friends, which is a whole other benefit to volunteering that you should consider.
Cruising and crewing
Many overseas cruises looking for bartenders, housemaids, chefs, etc. These jobs offer a great way to travel the sea and earn some money along the way. It’s a great way to travel around at literally no expense and even end up on the positive when you are done with cruising. If sea or homesickness is not a problem for you, definitely think about cruising.
Travel internships
There are agencies and firms out there that pay for people who travel around and promote their brand. Just imagine traveling the world in a Coca-Cola minivan. It offers the company cheap publicity and marketing and it gives you a chance to travel around the world at no expense whatsoever. While you will have to take photos of everything you are doing and abide by the contract of the company that is financing you, this is a minor issue when you take into account everything that you are getting.
Flying smart
Not all flying companies have high costs. You can easily find cheap flights all around the world if you look in the right places. One such website is Ryan Air and while you can’ travel to literally any location, you can still find a huge number of cheap deals on offer.
Look for cheap flights and providers that can help you travel to your desired location as cheaply as possible. You will probably have to adjust your dates accordingly and travel light, but it’s a great way to spend as little money as possible and still see the world.
Freelancing
While not a method of travel itself, freelancing gave birth to a type of people you may have heard of – digital nomads. These people travel around the world with nothing but their backpacks and laptops. They work wherever they end up sleeping that night and travel around for very low prices.
They can afford all of that because they are freelancers – all of their work is done online and there’s no need for static job placement. Pay someone like TrustMyPaper.com in order to write my paper and see what a freelancer’s level of writing is. Think about freelancing the next time you are thinking about traveling the world at an affordable price.
Trade labor
You can combine hitchhiking with trading labor wherever you travel. Some inns, hostels, and family businesses will happily offer you food and shelter in exchange for labor. You can work a couple of days in each place and move on along your journey, hitchhiking along the way. This is a cheap and effective way of travel if you are in going through a rural village area where people are more welcoming and willing to trust strangers.
Travel contests
You and your friends can apply for a travel contest that pays for all of your expenses in exchange for meeting certain criteria. These are usually racing around the world with little to no support from the organizers, apart from the media coverage and an instant way out if you give up.
These adrenaline-fueled races and competitions are a wonderful way of bonding with your friends and creating memories that will last a lifetime. How many people do you know that took such a challenge? It’s risky, exciting and most importantly – you get to travel the world cheap.
Couch surfing
Perhaps the oldest trick to traveling cheaply, couch surfing has been around for a while. You can sleep at someone else’s place provided that they allow for couch surfers in their home and then move on once you get some rest.
This is a great way to meet new people and pay very little for your travel expenses when you put everything on paper. While not many people will let you stay the night because they don’t know you, those that let couch surfers crash for a night have often been couch surfers themselves.
Conclusion
Traveling on a small student budget takes some ingenuity but it’s certainly possible. The important thing is to always stay in touch with someone back home and have a way out should you get stuck. Traveling completely isolated from your real-life can have huge consequences and it’s quite risky.
While it’s smartest to travel in groups, traveling this way is one of the best experiences you can have. Being a modern nomad and traveling around with only your backpack at hand is a wonderful experience that everyone should try at least once.
SAT Prep Secret: How Student With 1,050 SAT Score Overcame His Counselors Low Expectations By Gaining Admission Into Elite College
Alhambra,CA (PRWEB) May 29, 2006
Patrick was not your common high school pupil. With effective mother and father, you could fancy he was bound for an elite east coast institution. But while that may possibly be the case now, it wasnt a number of years in the past.
Reduced grades (a 2.five sophomore GPA) and SAT scores (1050) werent his only struggles. Brilliant, but rebelling against stress from his parents and fierce higher college competitors, Patrick floundered at a local prep college. To make issues worse, his teachers and counselor misplaced self confidence in him.
Out of the blue something changed.
Patrick met Jonathan and Melody Mitchell, co-founders of the Ucan Prep. Jonathans creed college students will rise to a teachers expectations manufactured an impact on Patrick.
Soon after a yr lengthy academic makeover, Patricks reduced GPA enhanced dramatically (to a 3.8 in his junior 12 months), his SAT scores soared (410 factors on the old edition SAT) and he gained admission into some of the very best liberal arts US colleges (including Bates and Colby, where he is currently enrolled).
A 2005 Ucan alumni, Patricks accomplishment inspired the class of 2006. These seniors test scores on the new SAT and admission to leading schools have been excellent.
Ways Teachers Use Technology
Teaching history with a tissue box assists in reinforcement of knowledge, facts, and ideas in any history subject area or concept. Using a readily available cubed tissue box provides endless possibilities for teaching and learning history. Students use critical thinking skills as they learn to research, ask questions, and develop a better understanding of historical events.
The advantage of using cubed tissue boxes in math is twofold. First, tissues are a necessary item in classrooms and using empty tissue boxes supports recycling. Second, the shape allows for stacking boxes to make connections within a time period or with other time periods in history.
How to Use Boxes for Mathematics
Since tissue boxes are a cube, their six sided shape provides a uniform size and shape for displaying information. Students prepare their work using construction paper, word processing programs, maps, art/paint programs, or other materials for attachment to the history box. Students glue their completed materials to the appropriate side of the tissue box.
It is important to allow students to be creative, while being historically correct.
The following are recommended uses for each side of the six sides of a tissue box. Students select which side of the tissue box is the top.
- Top: The historical event which the box is focused.
- Bottom: Student name and resources used in research of the historical event.
- Side 1: A brief description, including facts about the historical event.
- Side 2: A visual arts representation of the historical event; such as a diagram, pictures, collage, etc.
- Side 3: Pictures of how the historical event is viewed today.
- Side 4: How the historical event is connected to with other subjects; such as other math areas, science, history, etc.
Teaching science with a box and teaching math with a box provides examples how this strategy is used in science and math, along with how to make connections with other subjects.
Sample Use of a History Box
U.S. Civil War 1861- 1865 (MS/HS)
Students are assigned or allowed to select a specific battle or military event that occurred during the civil war. An example:
- Top: Battle of Antietam
- Bottom: Student name, textbook, Encyclopedia Britannica, and the website Antietam National Battlefield – National Park Service (also the URL).
- Side 1: The bloodiest one day battle in U.S. Military history. Over 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. Gen. Robert E. Lee had moved his troops into Maryland with an eye on capturing Washington, D.C. His army was stopped by Union troops under Gen. George B. McClellan. The next day, September 18, the opposing armies gathered their wounded and buried their dead. That night Lee’s army withdrew back across the Potomac to Virginia, ending Lee’s first invasion of the North. Following the battle, Abraham Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
- Side 2: Student provides a simple map of the positions of the Union and Confederate forces at the beginning of the battle around Antietam Creek.
- Side 3: Student provides copies of properly cited pictures of the Antietam battlefield today.
- Side 4: The terrain (Geology) of the battle field accounted for many of the high casualty areas, such as bloody lane. The temperature (Science) was in the middle 70s during the battle and humid.
Completed civil war battle boxes are arranged in the classroom according to historical timeline order.
Other Sample Uses of History Boxes
Formation of the United States 1776-1789 (Upper E/MS/HS)
- Students are assigned or allowed to select a historical event that occurred during this time period. In middle and high school, there are enough historical events during this time period that there are no repeat historical events. All history boxes are displayed in the classroom in accordance with the date of the event during this time period.
Rise of Industrialization 1865-1890 (Upper E/MS/HS)
- Students are assigned or allowed to select a historical event that occurred during this time period. In middle and high school, just like the Formation of the United States, there are enough events in this period to eliminate duplicate events and final products are displayed in the same manner.
Making Connections
Through the completion of these history boxes, students develop a better understanding of the relationship between historical events. It is important for students to internalize how these historical events impacted with other events or were dependent on other events. The cause and effect of historical events are more visual and concrete through this hands-on learning project.
Teaching History with a Box
Teaching history with a tissue box assists in reinforcement of knowledge, facts, and ideas in any history subject area or concept. Using a readily available cubed tissue box provides endless possibilities for teaching and learning history. Students use critical thinking skills as they learn to research, ask questions, and develop a better understanding of historical events.
The advantage of using cubed tissue boxes in math is twofold. First, tissues are a necessary item in classrooms and using empty tissue boxes supports recycling. Second, the shape allows for stacking boxes to make connections within a time period or with other time periods in history.
How to Use Boxes for Mathematics
Since tissue boxes are a cube, their six sided shape provides a uniform size and shape for displaying information. Students prepare their work using construction paper, word processing programs, maps, art/paint programs, or other materials for attachment to the history box. Students glue their completed materials to the appropriate side of the tissue box.
It is important to allow students to be creative, while being historically correct.
The following are recommended uses for each side of the six sides of a tissue box. Students select which side of the tissue box is the top.
- Top: The historical event which the box is focused.
- Bottom: Student name and resources used in research of the historical event.
- Side 1: A brief description, including facts about the historical event.
- Side 2: A visual arts representation of the historical event; such as a diagram, pictures, collage, etc.
- Side 3: Pictures of how the historical event is viewed today.
- Side 4: How the historical event is connected to with other subjects; such as other math areas, science, history, etc.
Teaching science with a box and teaching math with a box provides examples how this strategy is used in science and math, along with how to make connections with other subjects.
Sample Use of a History Box
U.S. Civil War 1861- 1865 (MS/HS)
Students are assigned or allowed to select a specific battle or military event that occurred during the civil war. An example:
- Top: Battle of Antietam
- Bottom: Student name, textbook, Encyclopedia Britannica, and the website Antietam National Battlefield – National Park Service (also the URL).
- Side 1: The bloodiest one day battle in U.S. Military history. Over 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. Gen. Robert E. Lee had moved his troops into Maryland with an eye on capturing Washington, D.C. His army was stopped by Union troops under Gen. George B. McClellan. The next day, September 18, the opposing armies gathered their wounded and buried their dead. That night Lee’s army withdrew back across the Potomac to Virginia, ending Lee’s first invasion of the North. Following the battle, Abraham Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
- Side 2: Student provides a simple map of the positions of the Union and Confederate forces at the beginning of the battle around Antietam Creek.
- Side 3: Student provides copies of properly cited pictures of the Antietam battlefield today.
- Side 4: The terrain (Geology) of the battle field accounted for many of the high casualty areas, such as bloody lane. The temperature (Science) was in the middle 70s during the battle and humid.
Completed civil war battle boxes are arranged in the classroom according to historical timeline order.
Other Sample Uses of History Boxes
Formation of the United States 1776-1789 (Upper E/MS/HS)
- Students are assigned or allowed to select a historical event that occurred during this time period. In middle and high school, there are enough historical events during this time period that there are no repeat historical events. All history boxes are displayed in the classroom in accordance with the date of the event during this time period.
Rise of Industrialization 1865-1890 (Upper E/MS/HS)
- Students are assigned or allowed to select a historical event that occurred during this time period. In middle and high school, just like the Formation of the United States, there are enough events in this period to eliminate duplicate events and final products are displayed in the same manner.
Making Connections
Through the completion of these history boxes, students develop a better understanding of the relationship between historical events. It is important for students to internalize how these historical events impacted with other events or were dependent on other events. The cause and effect of historical events are more visual and concrete through this hands-on learning project.
Teach Students How to Think
When teaching a lesson, it is important that students be actively thinking in order to learn the material and connect it to their lives. Therefore, it is also important that teachers teach students how to think. There are four levels of thought for any given lesson: evaluation, synthesis, analysis and application. Learning how to incorporate these four levels of thought in a lesson plan will help every lesson be successful.
First Level of Thought: Evaluation of Information
The evaluation thought process for any lesson is the beginning building blocks for higher level thought. Skills that involve evaluation thinking include deciding, ranking, defending, verifying and critiquing. This is a basic level of thought that simply looks at the information for what it is. Reading about information, collecting some research on a topic and understanding the basics of the topic involve evaluation.
Connecting Information to Prior Knowledge: Synthesis of Information
To synthesize information, students must go beyond the basic information and do something with the knowledge. Students should use prior knowledge to connect to new knowledge during this synthesizing thought process. Some things that require a synthesis thought process include hypothesizing, inferring, predicting, imagining, estimating and inventing.
Teaching Students to Analyze Information
Analyzing information takes student thought to another level, requiring them to understand the basic information, connect it to their lives through synthesis and then extend that information to additional information. Activities that require students to use analysis include compare/contrast, creating an anthology, classifying information and sequencing information.
Application of Information to Student’s Life
The final level of thought that all teachers should strive to have their students achieve is that of application. To apply information learned to a new situation requires the highest level thought and understanding. Students who are capable of demonstrating, illustrating, generalizing or showing how to do something have effectively achieved this level of thought and understanding.
Using Levels of Thought For an Effective Lesson Plan
By incorporating each level of thought in a single lesson plan, any teacher will be able to ensure student learning. With only rare exceptions, lessons should be split into four sections, with an activity devoted to build each level of thought independently. Not taking the time to achieve the highest thought levels will result in partially learned material that may or may not stick with students and have any impact upon their lives.
Teachers should ensure that each lesson they teach includes a basic focus on each of four different levels of thought. Starting with an introduction, students will be required to utilize evaluation thought. Next, students should be encouraged to connect new knowledge to previous knowledge through synthesis. Deepening understanding comes through analysis and finally, students apply new knowledge to future experiences through application.
Free Sample Letter of Resignation
For some people, a letter of resignation is one of the most challenging types of correspondence to write. This is because the letter must strike a balance between professional and personal. The letter must be professional in nature, yet still convey a personalized message that may be charged with emotion, depending on the parties involved.
Giving Notice of Resignation? How to Quit Your Job Gracefully
A written notice of resignation serves more than one purpose. Most importantly, this letter serves as official notice of the intent to leave the company. Firmly establishing the last day of work may be important for insurance purposes and company benefits (like the exact amount of accrued vacation to be paid out).
Resignation Format Not as Important as Content
A written letter of resignation becomes especially important if tension exists between the employer (or management) and employee. A difficult boss could make the process of leaving a job difficult; in the absence of a written letter, he or she could simply deny that an employee ever gave advance notice of the intent to leave. If any difficulties like this are anticipated, it would be a good idea to provide the letter of resignation to more than one person.
It’s important not to get caught up in the formatting of the letter (see the free sample letter of resignation template below for help with that); what really matters is that the resignation letter leaves management with a good feeling about the departure.
Quit Your Job Positively – Leaving a Job Should be Uneventful
Even if no problems are anticipated, it is simply good taste and very professional to write a formal letter of resignation to an employer. Here are some tips for crafting a professional, respectful letter of resignation:
Maintain a somber, yet positive tone. Say positive things about experiences at the company.
Don’t burn bridges by saying anything negative about the company. The new job may not turn out exactly as expected, and a return to the original company may be desired at some point.
Try not to single out any one person as a reason for leaving. This news can spread around, and even though it may not seem important at the time, that person may be in a position to get revenge in the future.
Free Example Letter of Resignation Template
Below is an example resignation letter template that briefly states the individual’s reasons for leaving the company in a positive manner.
(Insert date and address block)
Dear Manager,
I regret to inform you that I will be leaving the company two weeks from today, on X date. I truly enjoyed working here, getting to know everyone, and working on X projects during my tenure at X company. The position I have found will give me greater time off flexibility (or replace this explanation with another politically correct reason for leaving).
I feel honored to have worked at this company and will greatly miss the camaraderie shared among the work group.
Sincerely,
(Insert four spaces to allow for a signature)
John Job Quitter
How to Customize the Sample Letter of Resignation Above
To customize the preceding sample letter of resignation, replace any references to “X” with exact dates or names and insert information as noted in parenthesis. Notes in parenthesis are for reference only; delete these in the actual letter.
Don’t Say “I Hate My Job” in Letter of Resignation Wording
Even if the resignation is not an amicable one, try to find a positive way to state the reason for leaving. Stick to factual, positive statements. Resist the urge to say something like, “I hate my job.” For instance, use neutral reasons like “the new company location will reduce my commuting time by one hour per day” or “I am joining this other company because it affords me the opportunity to work in an exciting field.”
Resign from Job Properly – Use Resignation Letter Template Above
When someone resigns from a company, it’s always a good idea to provide a written notice of resignation. Use the tips and resignation template in this article to draft a unique letter of resignation that leaves a good impression on the company being left behind.
5 More Tips for Writing Resumes
Employers may see hundreds of resumes every day, so applicants should make every effort to write resumes that set them apart. Using the techniques below can help punch up an otherwise dull, forgettable resume.
Keep it Formal
Resumes are formal documents that require formal language. Using idioms, jargon, or slang in a resume presents an unprofessional image that most employers frown upon. Using conversational language, personal pronouns (I, me, you), or contractions (didn’t, aren’t) are also too informal for use in a good resume.
Use Formatting That Works
A resume is a brief list of education, skills, and work experiences that employers leaf through relatively quickly before making a decision on whether the applicant submitting it should be considered for a position. It should be concise and easy to read, or else it runs the risk of being tossed aside, never to be reviewed again. Resume writers should include only the most important details and make adequate use of white space so that employers are not bogged down by heavy text and too much information. Clear headings, bullet points, and simple fonts direct the eye down the page and help emphasize relevant information.
Include Numbers and Data
Numbers and data are another way to show what job applicants have done in concrete terms. If a job applicant managed a retail store that sold $1 million in clothing and accessories per year, he should include the sales volume in his resume. Including numbers not only helps quantify the responsibility that each previous position required, but also shows the employer that the applicant pays attention to both the big picture and the details of his work.
Stick To Active Language
Resumes that use repetitive, passive language are boring to read and do not catch the attention of potential employers. Instead of listing “Used spreadsheets to record monthly sales” as a previous job responsibility, an applicant could more actively say, “Increased monthly sales volume by tracking successful selling methods.” Not only does this rewording sound more active, but it also emphasizes the way the responsibility of recording sales matters for the employer.
Get a Second Opinion
After proofreading at least twice, an applicant should show his resume to a friend, colleague, or, if possible, someone in the field he is hoping to enter. Fresh eyes are quicker to catch errors and inconsistency, and readers can offer insight that resume writers might never have thought of themselves. Applicants should always be careful with whom they accept advice from, though – someone who never held a job that pays over minimum wage might not have the experience to comment on a resume for a senior management position.