How An Old Book Can Land You A Dream Job

This is a guest post from Raw Egg Interns.

After university, people generally have a vague idea of the industry that they’d like to go into. It doesn’t have to be directly linked to their degree; it doesn’t have to be linked at all. However, unless you have looked at what the industry has to offer, it can be tricky to breakdown the job roles to aim for, and even to know what you might enjoy.

Inevitably if you get to interview stage you will be asked; what do you feel you can bring to this job and which aspects of the job are you most interested in? Unless you know how the job works and fits with the rest of the industry, these questions will be followed with a long and resounding uuuuuuuuhm.

Well, that is frankly awkward, so to avoid this we would suggest getting hold of some old textbooks, basic guides or industry magazines and having a good read, before doing anything else. Not all employers want a newbie with experience, but they do want someone who knows what they’re getting themselves into. 

Don’t splash out, second hand books do the job, but do remember that digital and technology industries move fairly quickly, so any books that are pre-millennium are only for an understanding of basic principles, not day to day workings. 

By reading up on the basics, recruiters will recognise that you have put in the time and effort to make the links between your skills and their industry. They will trust that this same level of interest, research and wisdom will be maintained once you’re in the work place.

Go forth bookworms and read yourself to a job. 

Written by.......

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Saving money on student accommodation

Advertorial:-

Here at the Book Pond, we love things that give students choice. We appreciate the diversity in the student body in the UK, whether this is by gender, age, life situation or any other thing that means that one student is totally different to the next. 

Because of this diversity, not every single service designed for students can suit everybody. As a mature student myself, I found that a lot of the societies and activities for students at my university did not fit in with my schedule or needs. That's not to say I was unusual. Around 50% of the students at my university were mature students, many of whom had children and a family life. Traditional students (18-25) are always well catered for, which is understandable, but we know that these arrangements don't suit all.

It's the same when it comes to accommodation. As a student starting university for the first time at the age of 26, I was glad I didn't have to live in halls or shared housing. I had lived in my own home for six years by then, and could not have coped with the inevitable activity and hustle and bustle that comes with sharing with lots of young people, as fun as it may have been. 

Even some traditional students don't like this arrangement and would prefer something a little more like back home. This is why I like UniHomeSwap.co.uk.  This is a website where you register your details and look for another student to 'swap' accommodation with. You get to move in with their family near your university, and they stay with yours. For the right arrangement, this can save you thousands of pounds a year. 

The obvious downside is that your parents have to have someone just like you in their home, when they could have been looking forward to having some us-time (dread the thought), but as it's probably their money that will be paying for your university accommodation, they will likely be more willing than you would expect. It's a solution that could work for many, not everyone, but it's certainly worth looking into. 

If you are looking to save money while studying at university, swapping your place in the family home with someone else is worth investigating. It might not be the right choice for you, but what's to lose in checking it out?

Essay writing services - your view.

I have recently noticed an increase in internet sites selling 'essay writing services'. These range from proof-reading services, all the way through to writing the entire essay for you. I am pondering their usefulness, having never used them myself, or known anyone that has. They must get customers, and enough for more than one company to exist. It's puzzling me.

One concern I have with these services is how they know what material you have covered in the lectures, or the favourite books of the module lecturers and tutors. Two essays on 'The Works of Tennyson' would probably be quite different in different universities and with different academic staff. It's not like universities follow some sort of common curriculum like schools do. By the time you've given them your notes, reading lists and points to cover, you're halfway to producing the essay yourself anyway.

Another concern is that, especially if you were to use them for only a few essays, that style would vary between your submitted works. If you get the same lecturer for more than one module, a good academic can spot variations in work, especially if you submit an amazing one not long after a poor one. Inconsistency rings alarm bells.

Also, I think I would be too anxious. What if I order an essay and it doesn't come in time? It might not leave enough time for writing a decent essay. I don't think I could cope with that amount of uncertainty. 

But my biggest problem with essay writing services is this - the whole point of university is to learn - learn how to write, how to present arguments, how to read effectively, how to manage your time, and how to prioritise. If you can't do this well enough to meet deadlines for set coursework, then you are probably better off learning study skills from your own university's study support services. Read our tips for meeting deadlines. 

Assuming that you are doing a degree to help you get a job, is it really good practice to get into the habit of paying others to do your work for you?

Honestly, if you are struggling, please get help - from your tutors, from other students, from anyone who understands what you are trying to do. Please.

Have you or anyone you know used an essay writing service? Would you recommend them to other students?

Written by Joanne Brady

Why I love real books.

I'm not afraid to admit it, as much as it's the content I love books for, there is a small (OK, a large) part of me that is entirely bibliophilic - that is, I love books for the physical object that they are as well as the intangible words on their pages. I'm sure I'm not alone.

It's not the smell, or the papery feel, or the glorious colour on their spines racked up on the book shelf that I like, but the whole idea that this book in my hands right now, is not just something for me to look at, to learn from, to share - but has been for someone else in the past, and will be for someone else in the future.

The whole idea that this little object of paper and glue has been on a journey all of it's own. From it's birth in the printing press, on to a lorry, arranged attractively on the bookshelf, chosen by a human hand, and taken away to a new home in a little bag.

It's been carried around in bags, placed under packs of sweets, dropped on grass, scribbled on by scholars, carefully guarded until exams are over. 

Does this book remember who has read it? Does it recognise their face, or the sound of their voice? Does it mind having little notes scribbled in it's otherwise pristine margins? Who knows?

I have a book on my shelf. It is a very old copy of Little Women by Louisa May Allcott. I love my book - not just because of the story that is told through it's arbitrary printed language (although it is one of my favourite stories) but because it's not really mine at all. I am but its temporary custodian.

On the inside cover there is, in blue ink, an inscription.......

"To Betty,
Merry Christmas for 1955"

That's all it says. I have no idea who wrote this. I have no idea who Betty is.


The only clue is another small inscription on the inner title page. It says......

"15p"

.......in the top corner, in pencil.

This book that I love so much, was given as a Christmas present to someone called Betty in 1955, twenty-two years before I was even born. It was then sold second-hand at a jumble sale, I imagine, to someone else who wanted it. Maybe that was my grandmother - she then passed it on to me when I was a child. Who knows who else has been its temporary custodian over the last almost 60 years? Did they love it as much as me?

I will keep this book and pass it on to my own daughters in a few years time. It smells a bit musty and the pages have weathered somewhat, but I hope that they will come to love it as much as I do, and respect how this simple little collection of paper and glue has found it's way into their possession. 

I love proper, real, physical books. e-books just aren't the same.