When the summertime comes and you finally have a college break (or you are only planning to enter college in the future), it is crucial to keep your brain active and engaged. While it may seem challenging to do when you do not have any lessons or homework to complete, it is still possible to let your creativity flow and keep you safe in terms of being ready. According to our Nerdify reviews experts, you do not have to exhaust yourself either since it will only make you feel tired and stressed. The trick is to find the right balance between having some rest and learning things in a special way that would not ruin your summer schedule and basic plans. It is also one of the reasons why your brain activity must be as enjoyable as it can be!

1. Learn a Foreign Language. Our experts at Nerdify reviews believe that learning a foreign language during your summer break is one of the best ways to keep your brain active. You are not only learning how to write and read but also master the art of thinking and analyzing things in a different language. If one approaches this aspect through the lens of Psychology and Education, it is a great opportunity that you should not miss. It will teach you more about strategic thinking and will help your brain to switch to something different even if you do not feel like learning anything at all!

2. Join Free Online Courses. Another great idea that you should consider is joining free online courses at Coursera, Udemy, or any other online educational platform that meets your requirements. For example, if you are majoring in Nursing but find it difficult to write reflective essays, you can join courses that deal with writing mechanics and help students to improve their style and grammar knowledge. Unlike a typical college course, you will have a flexible schedule, which means that you can spend your summertime wisely and study exactly when you can without making it feel like a chore. Likewise, students majoring in Data Science can consider web design or Java courses that will help them to save time and use free summer days to learn something without being in a hurry!

3. Start a Web Blog. Just before you are ready to say that you won’t ever learn something during your well-deserved summer break, the Nerdify reviews team is happy to offer something different and entertaining for a change. Think about starting your blog or Vlog. It can be anything from fashion tips and cooking to sharing those great ideas in terms of favorite movies and books. The purpose here is to address your planning and writing skills as you learn how to compose blogs, post things on a regular basis, talk to people online, and keep your brain engaged in something creative and fun. Do not forget that blogging can also help you to get sponsorship as you spread your message across the world. Let your thoughts and bright ideas be heard!

4. Participate in Local Community Work. The majority of our Nerdify reviews team members can confirm that summertime is good for taking a break from our online activities for a while and have some rest. Nevertheless, it does not mean that you should sit at the porch of your house or get stuck in your phone as you are choosing among party invitations. Think about participating in local community work and make a positive difference. It can be anything from summer camp volunteering (something you can add to your resume) and political work as you highlight the issues that take place.

5. Read Books & Explore Things. Consider reading books and exploring those things that interest you. It does not have to be related to your future or existing major per se because your brain needs something for a change. If you want to find out more about the history of the United States or learn about engineering, you can also check various audiobooks and online lectures. If reading does not seem to be among your passions, you should still make an effort and read at least one book. Even if it is something that you have read before, it will help you learn a little bit about sentence structure and style as you connect the visual aspect with your brain processes.

6. Train Your Social Skills. Think about the ways how you can train your social skills by talking to people and learning to listen. Think about starting a band or play sports in a team if you have an opportunity. You shall see that your social abilities will improve right away as you compete with others and show strong leadership skills.

Greetings, Nerdify fans! Did you know that a motivation letter is as important as your CV?

What’s that? Well, a job motivation letter is simply like your average cover letter. Like the latter, you have a few seconds to impress (and persuade) your recruiter with your skills, experiences, and achievements. It also requires you to demonstrate your knowledge about the company you are applying. Most importantly, you have to justify why you are the perfect candidate for the job.

• A powerful letter will surely be a ticket to your desired position in the company.
• It is one of the main requirements of the job application process. However, this depends on the company. Some firms require you to submit a motivation letter along with your resume (or C.V.).
• Hence, it is best to read the list of requirements before submitting your documents.

What Should I Include in my Motivation Letter?

• Your full name
• Your contact information (Ex: Phone number or email address)
• Address
• Name and address of the company
• Content
• Salutations (Ex: Dear sir, /Dear ma’am,)
• Complimentary close (Ex: Sincerely)
• Your signature (If needed)

Note: There’s no set number of paragraphs you can write. The ball is in your court as long as you stick to the introduction, body, and conclusion template. Stick to writing a one-page motivation letter.  

How do I Write a Motivation Letter?

1. Introspect!

Excited to apply for a job? Make a list of your skills. It can range from researching, marketing, to graphic design. Since you have no job experience, you can write about:

• Volunteer experience (School or extra-curricular activity )
• Internship

Oh yes! You should also list your core achievements and significant contributions too! As early as now, you have to tailor your motivation letter to your preferred job position. It’s just like writing a resume.

2. Look for a job (obviously)!

Read the job description and requirements carefully. Some companies accept applicants who have no work experience. Don’t apply for a job if you think you don’t have anything to market to the hiring manager. Oh yes, don’t forget to take note of the deadline.

3. Research!

Just like academic essays, you have to research the company first before drafting your motivation letter.

• What does the company do?
• What are its core tenets and values?

You can even look for reviews or company press releases if that helps you gain more knowledge about the company. You can begin drafting your motivation letter once you have an idea. Remember, recruiters, are looking for people who contribute.

4. Introduce yourself!

• Express your interest to apply for the position.
• You may tell the recruiter how you found out about the opportunity.
• State your degree, personal values, or career goals. It is best if the company’s goals align with yours.

Depending on the structure of your letter, the length of the introduction should be at least one to two paragraphs long.

• Avoid saying, “I would like to express my interest to apply for this position because I have siblings to feed.” You are begging!

5. Market!

Make yourself the solution and contributor! Narrate how your experiences and skills will be a huge help to the company. Ask yourself:

• How will my volunteer experience/internship as an events manager (or any position) be a huge advantage?

Don’t forget to mention your major achievements or contributions! There’s no need to mention everything.

6. Close with style!

Be enthusiastic even as you end your motivation letter.

• Thank the recruiter for his or her time.
• You can say that you would contact them in a week (or any day you prefer) for a follow-up.
• If you want, you can even state that you are willing to be interviewed by the recruiter.

How Should I Structure my Motivation Letter?

There are many templates you can choose to mimic or download online. This is the basic format of a motivation letter:

September 20, 2018

Ella Emerson

54 Junior Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia

404-610-0182

ella-emerson@mail.com

Felicia G. Reinoso

Hiring Manager

Company A

143 Kuhl Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Ms. Reinoso,

Company A’s dedication to research about women’s rights and gender equality has sparked my interest to apply as a junior researcher.

As a graduate of Women’s Studies in University A, this position would not only advance my career but to also to achieve my goal of assisting marginalized populations.

I have worked as an intern for Company C, wherein I was tasked to conduct surveys, analyze data, write reports, and research solutions for our partner community. My achievements prove that I can be of value to the company:

• Researched and created an effective framework to foster gender-sensitive education and teacher training in the community’s public school.
• Educated the community by conducting a focus group discussion to further raise awareness of gender discrimination and misconceptions about feminism to the community members.
• Produced a monthly research report that demonstrates the effectivity of our framework to create a more gender equal society.

I am also equipped with excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills to reach to with the members of the community. My skills and goals are respectively aligned with Company A’s core values of cultural sensitivity and gender equality.  

I would love to have an opportunity to join Company A to further improve my skills and help people. I will call you next Thursday to follow up on my application. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Ella Emerson

Of course, you should have someone proofread your letter before submitting it to the recruiter. Nerdify wishes you all the best in your career. Good luck!

Martin Luther King day – celebrates the birthday of one of the most famous leaders of the civil rights movement of the 20th century. He is well known for the advancement of civil rights in the United States via nonviolent protests and civil disobedience.

But why does this public figure get a whole Federal Holiday all to his name? What did he do to deserve such a huge honor? Nerdify, is happy to shed some light on this 🙂

First, some facts from King’s early life (being all Nerdy as usual):

* Martin L. King was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.

* He graduated from Morehouse (in 1948) with a B.A. in sociology and enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with a B.Div. degree in 1951.

* King received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955 (he was 26).

And this is where the fun begins, this is when King got involved in organizing large protests to oppose the racial inequality that was widespread in the USA in the middle of 20th century.

It all started with Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 when a young black girl refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. The boycott lasted for 385 days! King’s energy and resolve made him a national hero for the African-American community, who saw a leader they could unite around to fight for equal rights.

In 1957, King and other social activists formed a Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to fight racial inequality and advance civil rights reforms in the US.

His struggle eventually lead to the massive March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered the world-wide famous speech – “I have a dream”.

We would like to quote a small part of the speech (because it’s so incredible):

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Why did King organize all these rallies across the country? How exactly was King planning on delivering a decisive blow on inequality in the United States? Wikipedia provides the best answer:

“King believed that organized, nonviolent protest against the system of southern segregation known as Jim Crow laws would lead to extensive media coverage of the struggle for black equality and voting rights. Journalistic accounts and televised footage of the daily deprivation and indignities suffered by Southern blacks, and of segregationist violence and harassment of civil rights workers and marchers, produced a wave of sympathetic public opinion that convinced the majority of Americans that the civil rights movement was the most important issue in American politics in the early 1960s.”

And he was absolutely right:

“King’s main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the U.S. Just days after King’s death, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Title VIII of the Act, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act, prohibited discrimination in housing and housing-related transactions on the basis of race, religion, or national origin (later expanded to include sex, familial status, and disability). This legislation was seen as a tribute to King’s struggle in his final years to combat residential discrimination in the U.S.”

In a nutshell – this is it -> Martin Luther King was instrumental in advancing civil rights reform and has dramatically improved racial equality in the United States by pushing the authorities to pass Civil Rights Act of 1968.

We don’t want to stop here because King’s life is full of incredible fact that we’d like to share:

* He was the youngest person at the time to receive a Nobel Peace Prize (he was just 35!)

* During his career as a social activist, he traveled more than six million miles (that’s about 10 “trips” to the Moon and back!)

* He was arrested 29 times and FBI was tapping his phone, pretty much since the beginning of his career in 1955.

* He is the first African-American to be named Man of the Year by Time magazine

* King was almost killed ten years before his death (a crazy woman stabbed him with a knife in his heart during his book signing event in Harlem).

* There are almost a thousand streets named after Martin Luther King (after King’s assassination, cities across the nation began naming streets after King, to cement his legacy and achievements).

Martin Luther King fought incredibly hard (eventually giving his life to the cause) to end inequality in the United States. Giving the fact that half a century later the USA would elect it’s first African-American President (and a damn good one), we think he would be proud of his accomplishments 🙂