Have you ever been asked to write a letter of reference for a co-worker, employee or former employee? Generally, a letter of reference is used to help obtain employment, apply for higher education, or as a character reference for those seeking a government position. This is an important request, as a well-written letter can be the reason the candidate receives the offer he or she is hoping for.
In all likelihood, you won't be asked to write a letter of reference for someone you don't know or get along with very well. But, if you have any doubts about writing a recommendation for this person, you should decline the offer and suggest they ask another person. Only write a letter for someone whom you would truly recommend.
A letter of reference doesn't need to be long and wordy. In the first few sentences, explain how you know this person (co-worker, neighbor, business acquaintance) and for how long. Mention any shared any experiences such as coaching the same basketball team, singing in the church choir or working on a project together at the office.
Think of two or three major character traits to describe this person that would be pertinent to the reason you are writing the reference. Are they honest and dependable? Do they always finish what they start? While Mike may be the best guitar player you know and can recite lyrics from songs written twenty years ago, chances are these are not reasons he'll get that job offer. Think of what you would say if you were asked to make a toast to this person during a special occasion.
A short anecdote describing how this person handled a difficult situation will make your letter stand out from the rest. Think of an incident that made you see this person in a new light. Finally, add a short statement that draws the letter to a close.
Here's a sample letter of reference.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write this Letter of Reference for Mike Smith. I have lived next door to Mike for ten years, and we both have served on the XYZ Neighborhood Watch Committee for the past three years.
Mike is a pleasure to work with on this committee. His drive and determination to make our neighborhood a safer place was the catalyst in getting our local government to install a traffic light at a busy intersection in our community. Once, during a power outage in rush hour, and risking life and limb, Mike took the initiative to direct traffic himself rather than risk an accident at this intersection.
Mike's perseverance and genuine concern for his fellow citizen are perfect examples of why it is my privilege to recommend him for a position with your company. I feel confident he will be an asset to your organization and will add to your continued success.
Jumat, 10 Desember 2010
Hottest Business & Social Networking Site for South Asians
DesiMySpace.com is an excellent portal for South Asians who are on the lookout for new friends and to increase the network. It is easy to find people who have the same tastes and likes as that of you. Some of the search features in this site enables you to locate people who are like you, as quickly as possible. To make use of all the features you have to become a member and becoming a member is free!
While you create your account you have to add your profile to your account. Giving out all the interesting information about you will enable you to get more friends in a short period of time. You can even upload your picture and design your profile in a way that you feel would attract others towards you. With so much information about a user in DesiMyspace you can search for the people in your chosen field and initiate contact with them.
The search feature in DesiMySpace.com has an option to search by sex, dating status, smoking and drinking habbits, location, occupation, religion, state, city, zipcodes etc.. You can use this feature to search the people in your field of interest. The data that you have to input in this option are Field, Sub-Field, Role, and Keyword. Apart from these can also choose whether you want the result of your search to have only women or men or both. You can also choose the age range and the location preferred. Since some of the users may not have photos you can search people who have photos in their profile. Once you have the search result in front of you can send instant message or email message to them. You can also add them to your friends list or add them as your favorites. If you are concerned about your privacy, you can block all those who are not in your friend's list and they can't view your rofile. To increase you network you can also add yourself to a group that interests you. There are many groups that are formed my people who are like minded. Joining these groups will enable you to connect to them and share information with them instantly.
If you are person who is doing your own business then you can also use DesiMySpace.com to generate contacts in your chosen business line. Forums and Groups for Business and Entrepreneurs are available in DesiMySpace. You can join these groups and participate in the forums to increase your network in your chosen business. You can contact the entrepreneurs listed in this group to interact with them about any business issues. Links that are useful for that particular group are also given in the web page.
By creating a proper profile for your membership with DesiMySpace.com and creating your URL in DesiMySpace in an attractive way you can increase your network and hence your business contacts. Make use of the web space provided for your id in DesiMySpace efficiently to promote your business and products. Join the groups that are relevant to your business so that you have the latest information and contacts that are shared in that group. The forums related to your business also help you to post your queries and get them answered by people related to your business. These are some of the ways by which you can do your business efficiently by increasing your network. Though, it's a relatively new site, it's probably the most popular amongst South Asians popularly known as Desis. They are not only widening their social networking horizon, they are also using it to increase their businesses.
The new Free SMS feature launched by DesiMySpace for it's member is also very cost effective tool. Now, not only the members are using it to contact their near and dear ones but the businessmen are using it to keep in touch with their employees and vendors across the globe. For all your social networking and business networking needs, DesiMySpace is the right place!
While you create your account you have to add your profile to your account. Giving out all the interesting information about you will enable you to get more friends in a short period of time. You can even upload your picture and design your profile in a way that you feel would attract others towards you. With so much information about a user in DesiMyspace you can search for the people in your chosen field and initiate contact with them.
The search feature in DesiMySpace.com has an option to search by sex, dating status, smoking and drinking habbits, location, occupation, religion, state, city, zipcodes etc.. You can use this feature to search the people in your field of interest. The data that you have to input in this option are Field, Sub-Field, Role, and Keyword. Apart from these can also choose whether you want the result of your search to have only women or men or both. You can also choose the age range and the location preferred. Since some of the users may not have photos you can search people who have photos in their profile. Once you have the search result in front of you can send instant message or email message to them. You can also add them to your friends list or add them as your favorites. If you are concerned about your privacy, you can block all those who are not in your friend's list and they can't view your rofile. To increase you network you can also add yourself to a group that interests you. There are many groups that are formed my people who are like minded. Joining these groups will enable you to connect to them and share information with them instantly.
If you are person who is doing your own business then you can also use DesiMySpace.com to generate contacts in your chosen business line. Forums and Groups for Business and Entrepreneurs are available in DesiMySpace. You can join these groups and participate in the forums to increase your network in your chosen business. You can contact the entrepreneurs listed in this group to interact with them about any business issues. Links that are useful for that particular group are also given in the web page.
By creating a proper profile for your membership with DesiMySpace.com and creating your URL in DesiMySpace in an attractive way you can increase your network and hence your business contacts. Make use of the web space provided for your id in DesiMySpace efficiently to promote your business and products. Join the groups that are relevant to your business so that you have the latest information and contacts that are shared in that group. The forums related to your business also help you to post your queries and get them answered by people related to your business. These are some of the ways by which you can do your business efficiently by increasing your network. Though, it's a relatively new site, it's probably the most popular amongst South Asians popularly known as Desis. They are not only widening their social networking horizon, they are also using it to increase their businesses.
The new Free SMS feature launched by DesiMySpace for it's member is also very cost effective tool. Now, not only the members are using it to contact their near and dear ones but the businessmen are using it to keep in touch with their employees and vendors across the globe. For all your social networking and business networking needs, DesiMySpace is the right place!
5 Steps to Securing Your Windows XP Home Computer
Most people are aware that there are continuous security issues with Microsoft's Windows operating system and other programs. However, what most people do not realize is how easy it is to significantly improve your computer's security and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to ever increasingly sophisticated threats that lurk on the internet. These steps should take less than a couple of hours to complete and should not clean out your wallet.
1) Windows Update – the first crucial step you need to take to make sure that all your Microsoft applications have all the latest product updates installed. These updates or "patches" address security vulnerabilities and other issues. Microsoft usually issues these updates on a monthly cycle. Visit the Microsoft website or switch on automatic updates from the Windows Control panel. Even if your "new" computer is second hand this is still a critical first step. If you buy a used computer with Windows XP make sure Service Pack 2 or SP2 is installed.
2) Strong Passwords - people often overlook this but having well thought through passwords is an important element of your computer security. A strong password should include at least 8 characters with a mixture of text, symbols and numbers. As a minimum you need to make sure the services most at risk have a strong log-in password. These services include your bank, credit card, other financial services like PayPal, your email address and any other services like Ebay which hackers can use to generate profit.
3) Anti Virus Protection – while it is fair to say the threat of the computer virus has receded during the last couple of years they can still inflict serious damage on your computer. Part of the reason why the threat has reduced is because PC manufactures are now more frequently bundling anti virus packages with their new computers. For example last year my new Dell shipped with a 90-day trial of McAfee's Internet Security Suite. The best bet here is to purchase a security package which includes firewall and anti virus software as a minimum. Top brands include McAfee and Symantec Norton products. However, Microsoft has recently entered the market with their "OneCare" offering which is very aggressively priced.
4) Firewall - if you are using a broadband connection then a firewall is definite requirement to manage the traffic flowing between your computer and the internet. A firewall monitors the inbound internet traffic passing through the ports of your computer. Better products also monitor outbound traffic from your computer to the internet. As per above the best bet here is buy a firewall application as part of a security package which most vendors offer as standard. If a hardware firewall is included as part of your router package then you do not need anything else. A company called Zone Labs offer a great free firewall product called Zone Alarm which should be used as a minimum. Windows XP does now ship with a free firewall but the product does not monitor outbound communication and therefore I believe does not offer adequate protection.
5) Anti Spyware Tool - this software is the last piece in your basic internet security set up. This tool helps combat spyware and adware. There is a good mixture of free and paid versions on offer. Good free software include Microsoft's Windows Defender, Spybot S&D or Ewido Anti-Malware. Ewido Anti-Malware is frequently recommended in computer help forums. Be careful if you decide to purchase a solution. There are a number of rogue vendors out there which aggressively push products which offer you little value. Stick to trusted names like Webroot's Spy Sweeper or PC Tool's Spyware Doctor. These products always come out well on independent tests.
1) Windows Update – the first crucial step you need to take to make sure that all your Microsoft applications have all the latest product updates installed. These updates or "patches" address security vulnerabilities and other issues. Microsoft usually issues these updates on a monthly cycle. Visit the Microsoft website or switch on automatic updates from the Windows Control panel. Even if your "new" computer is second hand this is still a critical first step. If you buy a used computer with Windows XP make sure Service Pack 2 or SP2 is installed.
2) Strong Passwords - people often overlook this but having well thought through passwords is an important element of your computer security. A strong password should include at least 8 characters with a mixture of text, symbols and numbers. As a minimum you need to make sure the services most at risk have a strong log-in password. These services include your bank, credit card, other financial services like PayPal, your email address and any other services like Ebay which hackers can use to generate profit.
3) Anti Virus Protection – while it is fair to say the threat of the computer virus has receded during the last couple of years they can still inflict serious damage on your computer. Part of the reason why the threat has reduced is because PC manufactures are now more frequently bundling anti virus packages with their new computers. For example last year my new Dell shipped with a 90-day trial of McAfee's Internet Security Suite. The best bet here is to purchase a security package which includes firewall and anti virus software as a minimum. Top brands include McAfee and Symantec Norton products. However, Microsoft has recently entered the market with their "OneCare" offering which is very aggressively priced.
4) Firewall - if you are using a broadband connection then a firewall is definite requirement to manage the traffic flowing between your computer and the internet. A firewall monitors the inbound internet traffic passing through the ports of your computer. Better products also monitor outbound traffic from your computer to the internet. As per above the best bet here is buy a firewall application as part of a security package which most vendors offer as standard. If a hardware firewall is included as part of your router package then you do not need anything else. A company called Zone Labs offer a great free firewall product called Zone Alarm which should be used as a minimum. Windows XP does now ship with a free firewall but the product does not monitor outbound communication and therefore I believe does not offer adequate protection.
5) Anti Spyware Tool - this software is the last piece in your basic internet security set up. This tool helps combat spyware and adware. There is a good mixture of free and paid versions on offer. Good free software include Microsoft's Windows Defender, Spybot S&D or Ewido Anti-Malware. Ewido Anti-Malware is frequently recommended in computer help forums. Be careful if you decide to purchase a solution. There are a number of rogue vendors out there which aggressively push products which offer you little value. Stick to trusted names like Webroot's Spy Sweeper or PC Tool's Spyware Doctor. These products always come out well on independent tests.
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