Life success is dependent on numerous factors, such as intelligence, professionalism, and ability to communicate effectively. Strong social skills also help students enjoy their college years by ensuring easier interaction with peers and teachers. Today, many people stay at home for self-isolation from the coronavirus outbreak and find it challenging to entertain. Why not use this time for personal growth by improving your social skills? Here are the five strategies from Nerdify that can help.

1. Maintain Contact with People Through Social Media and Messengers
Coronavirus outbreak is the period, when people are limited in live communication. However, the modern world provides us with numerous media for distant communication, such as social media and messengers. Use these means to stay in touch with people you know. It is good to start the conversation by sharing some interesting material you find. Do not just resend it, as people are often annoyed by suggestions to study something they were not looking for. Instead, introduce that content by stating the most exciting points or giving your impression about it. It will help start a conversation.

2. Ask People About Things That Are Currently Important
Today, many people are anxious and frightened, and the best way to manage these emotions is to talk about them. Ask your friends and acquaintances about their health and the possible dangers they feel. Many of us have grandparents and other family members in the risk group. You could ask your friends about such relatives, as it is likely a topic of their concern. Think of the other problems your important ones could be facing and communicate them about these issues.

3. Formulate Questions in A Way That Demonstrates Your Real Interest
Often, people consider interest in their lives as a sort of politeness and conventional manners. Your task is persuading them in your real engagement. Give some introduction to the question, as it highlights your interest and provides a person with the context of the question, which is often missing during communication through social media. Prefer open-ended questions, which suggest a description of the situation in several sentences rather than words. For example, asking “They say that coronavirus is especially dangerous for older people. How is your granny doing these times?” is much better than “Is your granny ill?”

4. Avoid Emoji and Express Your Feelings in Words
Although emoji were designed to facilitate communication through social media, they actually reduce social skills and emotional intelligence. You just substitute your facial expression, tone of voice, and other non-verbal clues with a picture that still could be interpreted slightly differently by another person. After you have chosen some emoji, stop and think, what emotion it expresses. Now, substitute this symbol with the words describing your feelings and ideas.

5. Be Patient to Alternative Opinions
Coronavirus is an issue of current interest and importance, and many sources are trying to benefit by creating “fake” news. Some people could believe them, repost, and try to discuss it with you. It could be annoying, but do not get anxious. Try to listen to them and focus on their emotions rather than unrealistic information. It is excellent, if you are aware of the real situation and have facts that disprove the “fake” news. But do not give them solid knowledge. Instead, acknowledge the fears and emotions of the person, then give your opinion without neglecting the information they state. It will maintain a positive relationship and make your opponent open to your position.

Following these Nerdify tips will help you maintain and improve your social skills while staying at home, as well as make your personal relationships with other people better.

With or without summer schools, summers should be fun. It’s like the only other time of the year (apart from spring break and Christmas) when college students can let their hair down and enjoy themselves. One of the reasons some students frown on summer schools is the fear of having a boring summer while everyone else is out there partying hard, attending concerts, and traveling around the world. This is a valid fear, to be honest. It’s more pronounced when you have friends who have not enrolled in any summer programs. Imagine the idea of your friends face timing you and sharing updates of how much fun they’re having while on vacation, while you are trying to pick the best Nerd from based on Nerdify reviews to get help with your course. This can dampen anyone’s spirits. However, there is good news. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like that if the necessary accommodations and actions are put in place.

If you were one of those who thought they can’t have a great social life in summer due to their involvement in a summer school program, this post will prove you wrong. Here are 6 tips on how you can combine summer school and a great social life without losing out on either.

1. Have A Plan, Follow Your Schedule

A plan is very important if you want to have a great summer school and enjoy your social and recreational activities at the same time. Have a plan for every activity you want to engage in. Plan for classes, and schedule the partying for later, when you’re free. The same goes for your yoga sessions and the guitar classes. Book these sessions in periods when you’re done with classes and enjoy your vacation to the fullest.

2. Choose a School Abroad

Another way to have a fantastic summer is by choosing a program overseas. Or at least, in a different city. This is like killing two birds with one stone. You’ll get to learn a lot, both inside and outside the classroom. While you concentrate your efforts on gaining new knowledge from your summer programs, you can also book tours around the city and explore a new environment. Learn about the people, their culture, and their ways of life. Reddit reviews can help you learn the best spots in a new city to visit while Nerdify reviews team will help you by posting valuable tips for effective studies.

3. Prioritize

Since we’re talking about the perfect balancing act, prioritizing is one way to do that. There has to be a reason you decided to enroll in a summer school course. If you believe this reason is valid, then you have to take your summer course seriously. Do your best to stick to your schedule. Have fun, yes, but do not neglect the main reason for enrolling in the course. Prioritize! Put the course first and everything else can come after that. Our Nerdify reviews team is always there if you need help with something. As we mentioned earlier, you don’t have to abandon your social life or spend an entire summer poring over educational texts. Just do what you have to do when you have to do it.

4. Take Advantage of The Summer Sun

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the summer is its weather. Who wants to spend all that time holed up in a classroom, or stuck in the library huddled over some books? I’m sure almost nobody wants that. Look out for programs that include outdoor classes or activities that let students spend time in the warmth of summer. If you can’t find any, create this experience by picking a perfect spot to study in the summer sun. You could visit the local park, pick a spot with enough shade and grab a bench to do your studying. You could also lay on the grass and work on your next paper. Whichever you do, outdoor studying in the summer sun is a great way to not miss out on the fun everyone else is having.

5. Choose A Course That Interests You

Summer school programs are only boring when you commit the mistake of choosing a course that is alien to your usual activities. You can boost your mood throughout the summer by ensuring you choose a course that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the summer. You can go through Reddit reviews or our posts on choosing the right course for your summer program.

6. Plan Your Vacation Well Ahead Of Time

Most summer programs don’t run through the entire summer. Some last for about 4-6 weeks, leaving some time for you to grab your bags and head out to Miami, Hawaii, and the Bahamas for some more time in the sun. To avoid a clash between your summer school program and your vacation plans, make sure you plan well ahead. You can search through Reddit to see if your preferred summer program organizers are known to stick to their calendars to avoid delays. Finish up your assessments on time, mark important dates in your course schedule, verify dates and speak to your professor and coursemates well ahead of time. If there’s any last-minute task, read tips from Nerdify reviews experts on Medium.

Summer schools do not have to stop you from engaging in social and recreational activities. As long as you put the right accommodations in place, you will have a great time.

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!