Tricks To Getting A Great Referral
Provided by AOLJobs.com By CareerBuilder By Robert Half International Job seekers know the power of networking in their search for employment. But it’s not just who you know; it’s also who your contacts know. An effective way to make the most of your connections is by asking for referrals. A referral is just one piece of the hiring puzzle, but it can support a well-crafted resume and help your application rise to the top of the stack. It’s a recommendation made to a hiring manager, on your behalf, by someone who knows you both. What can a referral do for you? You may have one of several goals in mind when asking a contact to refer you: Perhaps you’re hoping to set up an informational interview. Or maybe you’ve applied for an open position and hope to cement your candidacy with a personal endorsement. A thoughtful recommendation gives context to your résumé and adds a stamp of approval from someone the hiring manager knows and trusts. It’s a personal introduction that connects you with the company on a level that’s deeper than the rest of the application process allows. A referral says, “This is someone to pay attention to.” If you’re looking for a job in the South End, check out our jobs page. What’s in a referral? A strong referral has all the hallmarks of an effective cover letter — it’s persuasive, engaging and relevant. The advocate introduces you and explains how she knows you. Then, the person highlights the characteristics, values, experiences or skills that led her to endorse you. In closing, it might include a personal note or comment that reinforces the connection between your contact and the hiring manager. A referral does not have to be formal. It can take many forms, from an email or social media message to a quick phone call or hallway conversation. More: How to use your friends to get a job How to use a referral: Tap into your network to find potential advocates — and to help them help you. Here’s how to ensure a strong referral: Ask the right person. Review your closest contacts — friends, business associates, former managers or colleagues, coaches or mentors. Also make a list of companies you’re targeting and positions for which you’re applying. Then, determine where the two intersect. Reach out to prospective advocates who have ties to those companies, requesting that they speak on your behalf. Don’t send a mass email, which will seem too impersonal. Many companies have incentive programs that encourage employees to refer qualified candidates for open positions. But your advocate doesn’t have to work for the company you’re pursuing. Your contact and the manager may be connected socially or through […]
Report: Boston Getting More Bike Lanes, Hubway
Boston will be getting more bike lanes and Hubway bike share stations, the Boston Herald reported Tuesday, just two days after a visiting MIT scientist was struck and killed while riding her bike in the Kenmore Square area. The city plans to add up to 20 miles of new bike lanes and 20 new Hubway kiosks and might also look to install cycle tracks on major roadways from Roxbury to the Public Garden, Transportation Commissioner Tom Tinlin told the Herald. Last week, a new Hubway station opened at the recently built Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in the Charlestown Navy Yard, and Boston Bikes Director Nicole Freedman told Patch that another kiosk is planned in the Hayes Square area. With plans to install more stations in South Boston, Roxbury and other locations, the total number of Hubway options could soon approach 100, the Herald reported. Also in the works are more divided bike lanes, like the one on Western Avenue in Brighton, and cycle tracks—bike paths that separate bicyclists from motorized traffic—on Charles Street, Malcolm X Boulevard, Seaver Street and around the Public Garden, officials told the Herald. With plans to step up the bike-friendly features in Boston, there are still concerns about the safety of bicyclists, particularly following the May 19 death of Kanako Miura, an MIT researcher from Japan. Miura was reportedly struck by a motor vehicle while riding her bike near the intersection of Beacon Street and Charlesgate West at around 3:30 p.m. Several media outlets have reported that police are looking for a garbage truck that may have been involved. In March, officials announced plans to install new warning signs, reflectors and lane markings along busy Commonwealth Avenue in an effort to improve safety for bicyclists following the 2012 deaths of two Boston University students, both bicyclists who were struck by vehicles in separate incidents. The city also recently installed protective guards on 20 Public Works trucks to prevent bicyclists from getting crushed in a collision, the Herald reported. Boston Police Capt. John Danilecki told the Herald that most of the recent fatalities have involved trucks or buses and that, even when in a bicycling lane, cyclists should assume large vehicles can’t see them and use extra caution. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Survival Guide to Getting Around on Marathon Monday
From which T stops are closed, to parking, to the race schedule and map of the finish line, we’ve got you covered. TRACKING RUNNERS Register for the marathon’s AT&T Athlete Alert by texting RUNNER to 345678. On race day, you will receive an alert when the runner passes the 10K, half-marathon and 30K marks and at the finish line. RACE DAY SCHEDULE 9:00 a.m. Mobility Impaired Participants Start 9:17 a.m. Push-Rim Wheelchair Division Start 9:22 a.m. Handcycle Participants Start 9:32 a.m. Elite Women’s Start 10:00 a.m. Elite Men’s Start & Wave One 10:20 a.m Wave Two 10:40 a.m. Wave Three 5:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony THE MBTA Blue, Orange, Red and Green line service will operate on its regular weekday schedule with extra service before and after the marathon. Copley Station will be closed all day. Hynes Convention Center or Arlington Stations will be open. Commuter rail trains will operate on its regular weekday schedule. All buses and trackless trolleys will operate on a Saturday schedule. Route 55 – Queensbury/Copley Station ~ Entire service terminated until completion of Marathon. The Green Line’s Woodland Station along Route 16 in Newton will be closed to car traffic between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The station will remain open for customer use. Customer Service Van will be on Boylston Street at the rear of Hynes Station selling prepaid $ 5:00 Charlie Cards. On Marathon Monday, buses will be rerouted at certain times during the day to prevent disruption of the race. Click here for route schedules. ROAD CLOSURES Fri, April 12 – Tue, April 16 Dartmouth Street, St. James Avenue to Boylston Street Sat, April 12 – Tue, April 16 Boylston Street, Clarendon Street to Exeter Street (intermittent closings) Sat, April 13 to Sun, April 14 St. James Avenue, Arlington Street to Clarendon Street (intermittent closings) Sun, April 14, 8 a.m – 9 a.m. Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street, Arlington Street, Commonwealth Avenue (inbound side), Berkeley Street, Clarendon Street, Hereford Street will be closed intermittently for the BAA5K Run Sun, April 14, 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Boylston Street, Dartmouth Street, Newbury Street and Exeter Street will be closed intermittently for the BAA Invitational Mile Sun, April 14, 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Berkeley Street, from Columbus Avenue to Newbury Street Mon, April 15 – BostonStreets around Copley Square will close at 6 AM, streets inside Massachusetts Avenue will close at 9:30 AM and streets outside of Massachusetts Avenue will close at 10 AM. Beacon Street From Chestnut Hill Avenue to […]
How Much Snow is the South End Getting This Weekend?
Will the South End see six inches of snow this weekend, or will we see more like three inches with rain mixed in? The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. The NWS said 3 inches of snow or more is possible and warned of heavy wet snow that may fall at 1 to 2 inches per hour. Snow may mix with rain in the South End area. The NWS warned that the heavy wet snow could bring down tree limbs and result in scattered power outages. Here is a look at the snowfall estimates for Boston as of 10 a.m. Friday: Channel 4 (WBZ): 4 to 6 inches south of the Mass Pike, including Boston; 6 to 12 inches north of the Mass Pike Channel 5 (WCBV): 3 to 6 inches south of the Mass Pike, including Boston; 6 to 9 inches north of the Mass Pike Channel 7 (WHDH): 3 to 6 inches closer to Boston; 6 to 10 inches just north and west of Boston NECN: 6 inches Channel 7 meteorologist Pete Bouchard wrote on his weather blog: Storm start-up still looks like Saturday afternoon. We’ll still be able to get around and the amounts will be light through midnight – in fact, we may even mix from Boston to the South Shore. (Cape sees rain.) After midnight, the storm will get a little meatier. Snow intensity will increase into Sunday morning. Heavy snow through Sunday morning. Tapering to flurries by mid afternoon on Sunday There is a lot of water being thrown around in the atmosphere, and with marginally cold temps, this will result in a heavy, wet snow in many spots. Even in Worcester county, it will make for good snowballs and snowpeople. On the South Shore, it will cake to the trees and power lines – so there might be more power outages. South End Patch