Improving Memory

Do you have a problem remembering facts? Does that one answer just elude you for minutes, hours, days, weeks? You get into the exam and are so worried that you forget everything. Although you know it you may just be stressed out causing your memory to cloud. Here are a few simple tips for you to do in an exam or any situation to recall the facts.

Tip #1: Relax

When we are stressed out our bodies release a hormone that will affect our ability to recall facts, figures or memories. This hormone acts like a cloud on our memory, slowing down recall which will frustrate us even more making the recall process harder. There are a few simple things you can do to relax yourself:

1. Deep breathing: focus on each breath, holding for about 3-5 seconds. Repeat this until you feel that you can focus and that the stress hormone has lowered.
2. Stretching: this will disperse the hormones around your body, loosen muscles and getting you ready for some serious writing. In an exam close your eyes, stretch your arms up right above your head and bring them down behind your ears, pushing your shoulders right back.

Tip #2: Cast your mind back, picturing any details your remember

Warm your brain up. I know this sounds a bit strange but it works, think back to when you were writing your study notes, try and recall what you wrote, drew etc. Think how you felt when you were writing up your notes and the examples that you were thinking about and any acronyms that may of thought of for recall. This will prepare you for writing the major facts to answer your exam questions.

Tip #3: Pretend to be an onlooker

Think that you were listening to yourself read out the notes. Memory can be blocked by strong emotions, such as stress or fear. Watch yourself in your mind writing the notes, remember the paper and any sample questions that your given.

Tip #4: Be flexible with your memory

You can think backwards, forwards, above, below or freeze frame. Let your memory recall the facts the way it needs to, don't restrict yourself to exactly how your notes or the order of your readings were done in. Simply try and recall what was written and how it applies to the question.

Tip #5: Don't Rush yourself

Yes this is hard to say in an exam situation, but set your time limits before you go into the exam. Know that for Part A you will spend 20 minutes per questions, for example. Do the administrative tasks of an exam before your even get to the exam, such as setting time limits and having your student card 

pre-signed to save time, giving you more time to focus on your exam questions. If you feel that you can't answer a question leave it and come back later. Write and highlight yourself a note of the questions you need to come back to so you do not forget about them, make sure it is somewhere you will see when you finish the other questions, such as the front cover of the exam paper.

I hope you will find these tips. Good luck with exams and study.

Applying for Professional Placements

Some of you will be in university others may be still in school, but a lot of courses and programs now require you to complete a set amount of professional development, business placement or work experience. There are a number of skills and qualities that you should be aiming to develop when doing a placement to improve your employability. Some of the major skills are communication, writing, public speaking and computer or technical skills.

It is important to get some industry experience or professional development experience. This shows to employers that you are dedicated to succeeding in your chosen industry and are willing to work for career progression.

When applying for an internship or requesting work experience from an employer there are some things that you should be researching before sending off your application, including:

• Who the recruiting manager or business owner (for small businesses) is; name, contact details and address.
• The full name of the business and why you are interested in applying there.
• What are the requirements of the course for your work placement, e.g. 70 hours of placement, need to work on a project or required to gain office experience.
• The dates that you are available for the placement.
• The insurance costs; who covers insurance, does the employer need to pay for insurance and OH&S requirements.

In your application you should include:

• Covering letter: Outlining who you are, why you are requesting work experience with their firm, the requirements of the placement and available dates. This letter should be addressed to the recruiting manager of business manager, addressed correctly and with correct titles and departments (if applicable).
• Insurance information: If you are at a university, college or high school the insurance is covered by the institute. Talk to the career or course coordinator to get these details before you send the application off.
• Resume: Let the employer know that although this a course requirement that you are willing to work well for the firm and that you have skills that will benefit the firm whilst you are there.
• Current transcript or report card: This is not essential but it does help to let the employer see what you are capable off and it will act as a sort of reference to your application. Remember to only include this if you feel that it will help your application.

Referees are not required when applying for professional placement, but have them ready in case the employer asks for them in reviewing your application. You can see some sample covering letters and how to write a good covering letter here. The key to these covering letters is being clear and concise and outlining key skills that will benefit the employer whilst you are completing your placement.

Interview technique

Recently I had a job interview with a marketing company. This was the second interview I had had with the firm and so was prepared for the questions they were going to ask. I decided to write this post for those of you that may be asked the same style question so that you may be more prepared for a job interview.


Some of these questions included:

1. If I were to run into a friend of yours at a cafe how would they describe you?
2. The theme for a fancy dress party is fantasy, fear and fairytale, what character would you go as?
3. Why did you leave your last job?
4. Describe a time where you showed your leadership skills, teamwork skills and organisation skills?
5. Do you have any major commitments that may affect your ability to perform well when you are working for us?
6. Are you available for a follow up interview between [Date] and [Date]?

A lot of the question are very much personality based, the employer wants to know that you will fit in with their company culture can get jobs done and have the personality to work under the job conditions, e.g. if the job has a tendency to be stressful or requires long hours. 

Preparation

Before going into a job interview look at the job advertisement again, pick out keyword, think of how you best match these keywords and think of examples where you have displayed these attributes. This will prepare you for any questions that require you to back-up what you have said in your resume or cover letter.

You need to feel comfortable with what you are going to say in the interview. Have a friend or relative prep you on some questions before the day of the interview. The interviewer knows that you are going to be nervous and that you want the job over the other 50 applicants, but also know that they have to pick the best person for the job. You need to make yourself memorable. This means you need to pick appropriate clothing, say the right thing and do not do something inappropriate during the interview.

1. When picking what cloths the wear looking at the company colours. Research has shown that if you go to an interview dresses in company colours the interviewer subconsciously looks at you as fitting in with company culture, putting you in a better position than other applicants. Wear something smart, be a little more formal. Suit pants and a shirt if you are a man, or a business skirt or suit pants and a shirt if you are a woman.
2. As mentioned earlier, be prepared for some of the interview questions that the interviewer may ask. Get a friend to help you go over some of the questions, write your answers down and go over them on your own. This will improve your speaking skills during the interview and make you more memorable to the interview, which is what you want when they submit their report.
3. DO NOT DO SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE: this category includes not texting during the interview or taking a phone call, turn your phone off before you go in. Don't ask the interviewer on a date, yes they may be good looking but in the end you will only appear to be forward and too keen, not putting you in the probable list, probably just in the bin.

Arrival

Find out where the interview is, how long it'll take you to get there and decide on the most appropriate route. You will then know when to leave home, how your going to get there and how long it will take you to get there. Punctuality is key when arriving for the interview, you may not be remembered for it but you will be if you are late. Also remember to thank the interviewer for their time and hope that you hear from them soon.

Follow up

So you have been to the interview, come back and time goes by you hear nothing. Not an email, not a call, nothing. It may only be a couple of days but remember that they will have a lot of applicants to get through. Follow up with an email asking how it is going and where you application is.

Sample emails could be:

Dear [interviewer name],

I had an interview with you on the [date and time]. I was just following up on how the application is going.

From [name]

Clear, simple and to the point.

Food for Thought

There are certain foods that do make you smarter. These foods can generally be cheap as well, so absolutely excellent for university or college students living away from home. It is important when studying to improve short term and long term memory. Five foods that are cheap and good for your mind and body include:

#1 Oats

Yes this is what we give horses, but it is also what we make porridge out of for ourselves. Oats contain glucose that is the only sugar the brain can absorb, it is responsible for your concentration and memory. You can buy Oats relatively cheaply from Woolworth's for $1.19 (AUD).

All you need to make porridge is:

• 1 cup of Oats
• 1 cup of milk
• 3 cups of water
• Pinch of salt

Put it all in a pan and cook until boiled.

#2 Rice

Rice is also a good food containing glucose and reasonably cheap. You can cook it for a dinner meal and mix it with beans, carrots, capsicum and fish. The good thing about rice is that it can be stored for the week in a airtight sealed container in the refrigerator and reheated for the rest of the week. Similar to oats it improves concentration and memory.

#3 Fish

Fish have two essential chemicals that are good for your body overall and your brain function. EPA which reduces blood clotting and decreases the chance of heart attacks and DHA which enhances leaning ability and mental development. Tuna is cheap to pick up at any supermarket, it is ok to get the cheap or homebrand tuna or salmon, especially when you are at college or uni. But you can also pick up relatively cheaply frozen fish. Fish is something that can be made for lunch, dinner or a snack, so a really good all round food.

#4 Eggs

The yolk of an egg contains Choline, which makes up the greatest percentage of the brain. This chemical is responsible for memory prompting. Eggs are also cheap to pick up around supermarkets and are a good all round food. A nice quiche recipe involves:

• 3 medium sized eggs
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 finely chopped capsicum
• 2 Tbs of butter or margarine
• Splash of milk
• 1 sheet of puff pastry

Heat the oven to 180o C. Butter a baking dish and place the puff pastry in the dish. Combine all other ingredients and in well together. Pour into the dish and place into the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked right through.

#5 Water

Your brain is made up of about 30% water, therefore it is important to stay hydrated. When you get dehydrated you may increase your memory loss and reduce cognition. Water is the cheapest thing you can drink. Most tap water contains fluoride, which is also good for your teeth. Buying water is an expensive way of drinking, if you are at college of university then it is a good idea to buy a bottle and fill it with tap water.

Goal Planner

My previous post on HSC Student Resources mentioned setting out goals for during and after High School.
Here is a goal planner for those of you that may need an extra hand getting yourself in order for your future. Either in terms of education or life in general. This planner is free to download in a word document or PDF.

Goals Planner by Emily

Assessment grid

In a previous post I mentioned setting up an assessment grid to keep track of your assignments, their due dates, prioritising and organising your semester, as well as seeing how far you have come and how far you have to go. I have created an assessment grid, which is adaptable to your semester and subject offering. It is available for free download for you to get started with the new semester organised. Simply click download below the image or embed if you would like to put it on your blog.

Assignment Grid by Emily

Similar documents are available by Newbie_pro on Scribd. Along with some study notes on brand management and business strategy.

Marketing Students: Brand Management study notes

Here is a link to brand management study notes for a brand management exam. They cover nine pages, reviewing the brand management process in the first two, then trends in brand management and managing brands over time. The notes are $2.99 per copy.
These are the study notes that I used for my exam study. Overall for brand management I got a distinction or 75% to 85%.

The process of brand management covers:

1. Brand Positioning:
1. Brand Mantra
2. Brand elements
2. Marketing Activities
1. IMC
3. Measure and Interpret brand performance
1. ROI
2. Market valuation
3. Income
4. Grow and Sustain brand equity
5. Building strong brands
1. Making brand choices
2. Building relationships
3. Managing brands over time

These marketing notes are detailed and provide a broad overview of what brand management is and how it is used. I hope that you may find the useful.

Relaxation music

Here is a clip I found on YouTube for relaxation music, in relation to my previous blog on exam study. It has helped me with my exam study, helping me relax and concentrate.
The instructions that came with the video are:

1. Put the music on a low volume so it feels like its in the background
2. Focus on the video and just imagine you are on that beach with your desk
3. Imagine the breeze as you sit with your laptop
4. Close your eyes and then take deep breaths for 30 seconds
5. Open your eyes and look at the beach again imagine you are their
6. Now minimise the window and get on with your work with the music in the background

I hope you enjoy

HSC Students

To all you HSC students out there Good Luck in your final year of school. This post is about where you can go for extra resources for your assignments, study notes and exam prep. This post is mainly for Australian students, but you can use these resources still if your not in Australia.

Study Notes for Exams

There are a number of free resources where you can get study notes for your subjects. These include:

• Bored of Studies: This site offers students the chance to interact with other people completing their HSC all over the country. There are free study notes provided, guides to university or tare and tips and tricks about the HCS papers.
• NSW HSC Online: This is an initiative by Charles Sturt University to provide HSC students with information on writing for exams, study information and resources and some short study notes for  55 subjects in the HSC, including Business Studies, Economics, Ancient History and various languages. There is also good information about how to write for your exams and your options after school.
• Board of Studies ARC: This site provides information on assessments in the HSC, including multiple choice questions and provides links to syllabus documents and past HSC papers.
• Sydney University CCE: They provide preparation courses for HSC students in NSW, as well as a guide to getting through the HSC.

It is good to start early in your preparation for exams and assignments. This will help you to get the higher marks in your class, school or state.

After High School

When you finish high school you may feel a big void in your life for about a month or two, I know I had this and so did a number of my friends. It is a good idea to have a plan for after school, what type of career you want, where you may want to work (location and firm wise) and what areas of interest have you had in school that may help you reach your goals.

Create a goal planner for yourself and hang in up on your door. Have a look at courses at university or tafe, this will give you an idea of the performance measures you need to reach in your final year of school. You can also have a look at the Jobs Guide which has information on almost all occupations you could think of and what education and training you will need to enter that career.

You can get information on specific university courses from your specific state or territories University Admission Centre.

Good Luck to everyone with their Exams and Future

Study for exams

Ok so your exams are coming up. What are you looking for? A pass, credit, distinction...high distinction. Whatever you are looking for you will need to have some good study habits.

Tip #1: Have a clean study area
Ever heard Cleanliness is next to Godliness? Well cleanliness helps you organise your thoughts and prepare for you study. Have everything in its place, pens ready for use, highlighters full of ink, paper ready etc.
Having a clean study environment helps you get organised but also helps you get into the right frame of mind to do your work.

Tip #2: Set up a study plan