Things you need to remember while preparing for Aptitude Test

We really take too much tension regarding Aptitude Test for the campus recruitment and that tension creates a block in our learning process. Student’s when applying for this campus recruitment look forward for an Aptitude Test Preparation Centre’s which is not feasible for people who can’t afford it. Here I bring some tips regarding preparation of Aptitude Test:

1.  Keep a Note Book: Fetch a note book so that you can create your own performance Evaluation. Make a list of Subjects you want to prepare for the Aptitude Test, Mark 5 stars on those whom your preparation is good, question mark on the subject in which you need to work really hard. Don’t carry the book all day in your hand, just before going to Bed give some time to it.

2.    Two or Three Subjects at a time: Don’t pick one subject for a day, take 2 in start and later on 3. Pick one subject which you really like and pick the most interesting topic, I said interesting not that which you learned hard in your past classes. Pick the least favorite subject and pick the most boring but important article.

3.    Timing is not the Key: Many bright students don’t study for 4-5 hours or 12 hours but they study until they absorb the topic this may take 1 or 2 hour or may be 5 hour. Try to get the concept of it and be prepared that question regarding it can be in any shape.

4.    Manage your Time: Although you should not target studying hours but you need to manage it don’t study when you feel tired, it is of no use. It’s good to study in the morning but it’s on you. Try to get interval, this will increase your learning strength also it will decrease your hassle.

5.   Group Study is a nice option: It is very good to do group study and sharing tips with each other, it definitely works to score high in test. Try not to rely on it and don’t waste of your time asking each other, home much you have did?

6.      Don’t rely on one book: Keep one thing in mind the topic in test could be same but the questions are unusual, don’t rely on one book try to take help from internet as a lot of material is present.  Take one or two good test preparation books.

7.   Take part in quizzes: Try to take full use of Online Free Test it really assists you and more also it makes you confident as there are too many quizzes and scoring will definitely boost you. Also video lectures on different topics can help you a lot.

8.   Reading is better option than writing: It is not possible to write and jot down everything better to read it and try to memorize the important terminologies. If possible write down the key points of the topic. Subjects like English you need to give  a bit on writing so don’t run from it.

9.     Back to Note Book: It is very important to note down the topics which are learned.

10. Avoid Gaps: Consistency produces positive results so it is very important not to have long gaps in studies, if you don’t feel good, just try pinching it. Read whatever you like regarding your subjects.

11. Plan it and stay with it: This tip really does pay off because you are the only one who knows,’ How can I achieve this? How Can I produce the best result?’ so you planned the best for it’.

12. Take Advice: Take advice with those who passed from this stage, if there is no one around you than ‘Prepare to be that’.

13. Past Papers: They are helpful and create an idea in your mind regarding a paper but don’t take it for granted, may be this time it might be a different scenario.

14.  Sleep and eat well: It is very important for a student to take a healthy diet and proper sleep as it gives you boost mentally.

If you have some more idea then please feel free to post it in comments...

How to Prepare CV for Freshers?

All fresher openings require one thing: A resume!

We are of the opinion that fresher resumes have to be simple, crisp and humble. Now how is all that possible?

There are several job profiles you can apply for being a graduate. It’s a matter of choosing what you really like. Living a dream is not that difficult and with few easy steps it gets even easier. Since you’re a graduate and you are academically strong to apply things practically, you should write down everything you know and you have done.While appearing for that first interview, you must take into consideration everything which makes you unique. If you think you are worthy, go for it. One of the major tools you have is your resume. Your resume speaks on your behalf. So, make sure it looks presentable, organized and simple.

There are leading organizations, with overloaded work hours; they are so busy that they don’t find time to take a look at your resume in detail. They just skim through the resume without thinking too much in detail. That’s it.

You have 10 seconds to capture attention. If you fail to make a positive impression within that time frame, you have lost the opportunity.

So, what “tricks” should you use to make your resume better?

Here are some ideas which will surely help you to bring yourself out of the fear of the first interview with easy and simple methods to make that perfect resume.

Once you apply for the job, during your interview round there are certain questions asked by the interviewer based on your resume. So, make sure that you don’t bluff and beat around the bush when preparing your resume. Else, you may make fool of yourself among the employers.

Tips To Write Resume for Freshers

1. Be presentable:You know what all you have done and achieved. You also know what you can do and the skills you have. So, start the resume writing with the basic information about yourself. Don’t drag that up to interests and hobbies. The employer honestly doesn’t have any concern with your interests and what you do in leisure time. Also, write about academic performance, scores, grades etc  
2. Mention about the extra courses (if any):There might have been some extra courses you have done. If so mention about them. Write in detail the marks, tools and skills you achieved after completion of that course. Also, write the duration of the course and how extensive it was, in nature.
3. Write about your extracurricular activities:Describe about the extracurricular activities you did along with your academic background. At times, the interviewer judges your skills and talents according to the activities you did in past.
4. Internships:Also, mention about internships that you may have done during summer breaks from college. That may be termed like a ‘corporate trained’ for the company you apply. But anyway, internships are impressive.

So these are some pointers you should take care of, while making a resume. There are some other Dos and Don’ts that you should note it down while making a resume. Here they are-

Dos:

• Highlight! Make your educational qualifications, academic scores and grades stand out. They should be in bold, crisp and easily readable.

• Bullets and Numbering is also an important factor while crafting your resume. Mark up things and add bullets for highlighting specific information. Like, if you know some specific tools, skills; write it down and mark them up using bullets and numbering.

• Keywords are equally vital form the point of view of the interviewer. When he first holds a copy of your resume, he must get an idea of what you really know and how capable you are for his organization. So you should bold the skills, tools and achievements in your resume. They should appear prominently.

• Skills and Tools have to stand out. It is like representing something that only you can do and not others. Those are all the qualities which make you stand out and superior than others.
•  Hobbies are important. Please do write about your hobbies but try don't write about some hobbies which are not constructive.

Don’ts:

• Don’t treat yourself or anyone with so much respect that you add prefixes like Mr. and Miss. They are old-school now. So, avoid prefixes.

• Avoid objectives which don’t really appear true. You should totally ignore objectives which are catchy yet not possible, dreamy yet not practical. Write down something which is honest yet simple and works for the interviewer.

• Exaggerations and bluffing is a complete No! Be original and authentic about yourself. The company’s will not hire you for something that you are not.

So, these are some tips I managed to grab up and jot down for you. If you have any more doubts, queries or anything else in mind, do drop a comment. Also don't forget to follow my blog.

Good Luck for your job!

Most Common Job Interview Mistakes

The job interview is the make-it-or-break-it part of the job application process. While the resume may get you the interview, the interview gets you the job. You want to impress your possible employer so much that nobody else will be appropriate or perfect for the job.

Follow the steps to make sure you ace your interview. You know what to do according to your personality and strengths. Here is what not to do in order to guarantee interview success:

• Incorrect attire:
Dress appropriately for the type of job interview. Always dress in more conservatively than you would normally. Make sure that you are not wearing outlandish colors, showing too much skin, or wearing too much jewelry (man or woman).

• Unprepared answers:
You know the typical job questions, so have them prepared. Know ahead of time your answers to questions such as, "What are you strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in ten years? What can you bring to the company that nobody else can? What brought you to this part of your career?" These generalized questions will more than likely be asked of you on the big day.

• Unprepared questions:
Just as much as must prepare the answers to give to your interviewer, you must also come prepared with questions to ask of the interviewer about the position and the company. Employers want to see people who think on their toes and are interested in the position as much as possible. Scribble down a few quick questions that you can ask at the appropriate time of the interview so that you are not trying to think on the spot of what to ask.

• Forgetting to do your research:
If you are going on a job interview and know nothing about the company, than you are mistaken. You must learn as much as possible about the position and company prior to your interview. Therefore, you will be able to hold an intelligent and well-informed discussion about the company. You will also be able to ask questions more comprehensively.

• Slips of the tongue:
Although this mistake is difficult to control, people often make them. People accidentally say the wrong thing, infer the wrong idea, or blurt out an insult or profanity. Any of these slips of the tongue can throw you out of the interview race. Concentrate on what you say, so that it comes out intelligibly and not incoherently.

• Ringing of cell phones:
Make sure your phone is off prior to the interview. Nothing is ruder or more disrespectful to an interviewer than listening to another ring.

• Checking the time:
Be careful not to glance at your watch or the wall clock in the middle of your interview. Perhaps you should take off your watch prior to the interview so that you have no chance of accidentally looking at your wrist.

• Asking about salary too early:
While it probably one of the determining factors in your decision to work at a company, do not jump the gun in the interview to ask about salary. The interviewer will inevitably tell you what salary and benefits come with the job. There are so many people looking for jobs, so if the company sees you as someone who just wants the money and does not necessarily care about the job, it will work against you in the long run.

• Giving your demands:
You are on the job interview and you are unemployed (or are looking to chance jobs). You are no diva. Therefore, you should never make demands at an interview. Even if you have reached a professional status that enables you to make certain demands in the workplace, the interview is never the place for it. They will laugh at you and more than likely never call you again. People want to work with compromising and congenial co-workers; not demanding prima donnas.

• Telling about other job offers:
While you may think it appears desirable to speak about other companies offering you a position, it may come across as ridiculous in a job interview. It is important to keep matters separate. They may see you as someone who already has a job. Why would they want to give you their position if you've already got one somewhere else.

• Dropping too many names:
Again, this "do not" is a double-edged sword. While contacts are vital in the job market, they can often be used for the wrong purposes. You do not want to be seen as someone who gets by only on his or her connections.

• Tardiness:
Do not be late to your job interview. Rather, arrive around 10-15 minutes early so you can settle in, fill out paperwork, and allow your interviewer to get ready.

• Fidgeting:
While you will probably be nervous prior to and during your job interview, try not to fidget. It is distracting and reads nervousness and anxiety. No employer wants a fidgety co-worker in the building.

• Lying:
While it is common to exaggerate on resumes, it is downright wrong to lie on them and in your job interview. Honesty is the most venerable quality in a worker and an employer and interviewer will respect your truth and honesty. Do not claim to have worked somewhere if you have not, and so on and so forth.

These basic tips, I hope, will help you along in the job interview season. You may already be a fantastic interviewer, but unfortunately do not always get that golden interview. If this is the case, then you must focus on your resume and references. Regardless, the job interview is key in nailing a position and becoming an employee of the corporate workplace of the United States.

Improving Body Language

I’ve done quite a few articles on this blog about various topics. Recently I’ve realized that throughout the entire blog, there isn’t a single article talking about how someone can improve their own body language to come across more genuine and friendly to others around you, and that's exactly what this article is about. Improving your body language can have a surprisingly big affect, not only can it improve your attractiveness, but it can also improve your people skills and general mood.

 

Firstly, to be able to change and improve your body language you must be aware of your current body language. So before putting the tips below into place, I’d advise you just to spend a couple of days or so looking at your own body language in various situations. How do you sit when you’re on a bus or train? How do you stand when you’re talking to your boss compared to a girl/guy? Do you fold your arms a lot? You could also practice standing in front of the mirror and just looking to see how you stand, this may sound silly, but no one will be watching you so you have nothing to worry about.

Another tip is to close your eyes and visualize how you would stand and sit to feel confident, open and relaxed or whatever you want to communicate. See yourself move like that version of yourself. Then try it out. You may also want to observe others body language, observe those who you look up to, what body language do your idols have? What body language do your favourite movie stars use? You can begin to take bits and pieces from different people and try using what you’ve learnt from them.

Some of these tips might seem like you are faking something. But fake it til you make it is a useful way to learn something new. And remember, feelings work backwards too. If you smile a bit more you will feel happier. If you sit up straight you will feel more energetic and in control. If you slow down your movements you’ll feel calmer. Your feelings will actually reinforce your new behaviours and feelings of weirdness will begin to fade away.

In the beginning it can be easy to exaggerate your body language, but thats okay because eventually you’ll begin to use it more subtly again. So before I start rabbiting on any further, here are the 18 ways to improve your own body language.

1. Don’t cross your arms or legs: Crossing your arms and legs can give the appearance that you’re defensive and closed, having your arms and legs unclosed will make you seem more open and friendly to people.
2. Make Eye Contact but don’t stare: Making eye contact is a good way to make people feel more comfortable around you, if you’re constantly looking down and away from the person you’re talking to, they may begin to feel they’re boring you and may get up and leave. Whilst maintaining good eye contact, be sure to make sure you’re not staring at them. 
3. Don’t be afraid to take up some space: Taking up space can be a good way to show self confidence, if someone is not confident then they will tend to take up the least space possible, sit with your legs open and arms spread out if you want to come across as confident. 
4. Relax your shoulders: When we feel tense it will begin to show around your shoulders and they may rise and become tense, relax your shoulders by shaking them a bit, deep breathes can also help relive tension. 
5. Nod when they’re talking: Nod once in a while whilst someone is talking to show them that you’re listening, but don’t over do it. 
6. Smile and Laugh: Lighten up a little and don’t take yourself too seriously. If you can joke around and show people that you’re not too serious then people will warm to you much more quickly, than if you come across as this serious, boring person. 
7. Don’t touch your face: This might seem a weird one, but when people are nervous (or perhaps lying) they will touch their face to try and comfort themselves, try not to touch your face as this will show more self-confidence. 
8. Keep your head up: Always look in front of you whilst you’re walking, people who have their heads and eyes down appear insecure and a bit lost. 
9. Use your hands more confidently: Instead of fidgeting with something whilst you’re talking, try using hand gestures to add more meaning and force to the point that you’re trying to make, this will make you appear more confident in what you’re saying and you’ll come across more genuine. 
10. Mirroring: When you’re talking to someone, subtly copy their body language movements, if they scratch their neck then a few minutes later scratch yours, mirroring someone can dramatically reduce the time in which it’ll take for someone to warm to you, they will feel you’re genuine and a little like them. When in a good discussion mirroring takes place automatically.

Put these tips into affect for a few days and then you’ll begin to notice a difference in how people respond to you. You may feel awkward/weird doing some of these at first, however after a few days you’ll adapt to them and they’ll start to become second nature to you.

Some Notes on Stored Procedures

A stored procedure or in simple a proc is a named PL/SQL block which performs one or more specific task. This is similar to a procedure in other programming languages.  

A procedure has a header and a body. The header consists of the name of the procedure and the parameters or variables passed to the procedure. The body consists or declaration section, execution section and exception section similar to a general PL/SQL Block. 

A procedure is similar to an anonymous PL/SQL Block but it is named for repeated usage.
We can pass parameters to procedures in three ways.
1.      IN-parameters
2.      OUT-parameters
3.      IN OUT-parameters

A procedure may or may not return any value.   

General Syntax to create a procedure is:
CREATE [OR REPLACE] PROCEDURE proc_name [list of parameters]
IS   
   Declaration section
BEGIN   
   Execution section
EXCEPTION   
  Exception section
END;

IS - marks the beginning of the body of the procedure and is similar to DECLARE in anonymous PL/SQL Blocks. The code between IS and BEGIN forms the Declaration section.
The syntax within the brackets [ ] indicate they are optional. By using CREATE OR REPLACE together the procedure is created if no other procedure with the same name exists or the existing procedure is replaced with the current code.

The below example creates a procedure ‘employer_details’ which gives the details of the employee.
1> CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE employer_details
2> IS
3>  CURSOR emp_cur IS
4>  SELECT first_name, last_name, salary FROM emp_tbl;
5>  emp_rec emp_cur%rowtype;
6> BEGIN
7>  FOR emp_rec in sales_cur
8>  LOOP
9>  dbms_output.put_line(emp_cur.first_name || ' ' ||emp_cur.last_name
10>    || ' ' ||emp_cur.salary);
11> END LOOP;
12>END;
13> /

There are two ways to execute a procedure.

1. From the SQL prompt:        EXECUTE [or EXEC] procedure_name; 
2. Within another procedure: simply use the procedure name.

NOTE: In the examples given above, we are using backward slash ‘/’ at the end of the program. This indicates the oracle engine that the PL/SQL program has ended and it can begin processing the statements.

Short Overview on MVC Architecture

MVC Architecture has implemented by Trygve Reenskaug at 1979 for the first time. It was implemented on Smalltalk at Xerox labs. Then benefits and advantages of this architecture has been accepted by most of the coders and software engineers.

It was an information about MVC’s history above. Now lets talk about what really MVC is. What do you understand from MVC. The word M stands for Model, V stands for View and C stands for Controller. I am going to mention about each item.

Model:
It handles data processing and database works part. Model processes events sent by controller. After processing these events then it sends processed data to controller (thus, controller may reprocess it) or directly to view side.

View:
View prepares an interface to show to the user. Controller or model tells view what to show to the user. Also view handles requests from user and informs controller.

Controller:
Let’s say controller is like brain of the system. That is right. Because it processes every request, prepares other parts of the system like model and view. Then the system determines what to do by controller’s commands.

Even if you are junior developer you probably faced with a problem called “Complexity of Project”. There MVC comes. MVC helps you to decrease complexity of project. For instance, there is a team with 5 people. If they are working on same project after sometime project reaches a point which no one cannot understand what is project going to be. What i mean is MVC splits project to (by default) three different parts. Like Model, View, Controller.You can say;

As you see above if you split your project three part like Application Development, Database and Data processing and Interface development then of course you project will be more understandable and developers can work more efficiently.

What are the advantages of MVC?
MVC is perfect for team work. As i mention before this architecture splits your project into some parts so, team members can work and their parts without any dependency. Then you will realize that MVC makes your project more systematic.
It is really easy to edit or change some part of your project that makes less development cost and maintenance cost.
 

MVC doesn’t repeats itself. If you wrote some script for your project. Because of non-dependancy property of MVC then you may use this script for another project of yours. And of course it helps you to finish your project by spending less time then others.

Why MVC is non-standard?
Still waits for developers to discover itself. I know some developers who think that they have to write even every semicolon, letter. you don’t have to do that. However, MVC tries to help you to don’t repeat yourself.

Why MVC is too important for Companies?
Well it is not!. Yes that is true. A company only looks for if a project is done on time or not. Most of the companies doesn’t interested what structure you are using while developing.
 

Probably you know this formula : P=W/T  (P:Power – W:Work – T:Time) As you see here if you descrease the time so you may done with more Work. That means money! So, you see how MVC helps you.

Example:
As an example you can think like eyes of a human stands for view, brain stands for controller and neutral system of a body stands for model. You can imagine like when a person sees his friend eyes (view) tells this to the brain (controller). Brain wants to show smile to his friend. To make it possible brain tells your face’s neutral network that make the face smile. Then his face smiles  Hope it helped.

Here are some links for you which may help you to know better about MVC:

1. http://www.asp.net/mvc/tutorials
2. http://mvc4beginner.com/
3. http://php-html.net/tutorials/model-view-controller-in-php/
4. http://www.nathandavison.com/posts/view/11/custom-php-mvc-tutorial-part-1-introduction

10 things you MUST DO in a JOB interview

The job interview can be a turning point in the career of every professional. While clearing an interview will help you climb up the corporate ladder, being rejected will pause your growth, at least for time being. So it is very important that one takes interview very seriously as it can make or break a career.

1. Plan

Make a note of the date, time and venue of the interview and do a mental calculation of the time it will take for you to reach there.

Make a list of what you need to carry for the interview. Read for industry-wise interview tips from experts in your profession or senior employees. Refer to these tips before you appear for an interview.

2. Know about the company

It is very important that you research about the company, department and designation you are applying for. You can find a lot of information on the internet through blogs, annual reports of the company, news reports, and through your friends. Summarize this information and note down the key points so that you can revise it at the last moment.

3. Make a list

Make a detailed list of questions that you expect will be asked to you in the interview.Be prepared for questions like 'Tell me something about yourself'; 'Why do you want to quit your current job?' and 'Where do you see yourself 5-10 years from now?' Also write down what would be the best possible answers for these questions. See if you can quote examples, facts and figures in the answers that you prepare.

  

4. Rehearse

Ask a friend or family member to ask you all possible questions and practice answering them till you feel you are confident. You can even practice in front of the mirror.

5. Dress appropriately

It is extremely important that you dress well for your interview. In case you are not sure about what to wear for an interview, ask an elder or a senior professional you know to help you select the best attire for you. Keep it formal. Avoid wearing bright colours or heavy accessories.

6. Perfect your CV

Writing the CV is an art. Find time to research some of the best written CVs on the net. Follow these tips and format it well. Take a print of your CV at least a day in advance to see how it appears. Ensure you carry 2-4 final prints in a folder or file for the interview. 

7. Reach on time, relax

Reach the venue of interview at least 15-30 minutes in advance. If there are other candidates for the interview, avoid interacting with them immediately. Instead take a deep breath and relax.

8. Maintain eye contact

Enter the interview room with confidence. Sit upright and maintain eye contact with the interviewer both while speaking and listening.

9. Speak with clarity

Listen to the questions carefully. Make sure you speak in a clear voice and explain your points in detail whenever required. It should be a natural conversation and should communicate your interest in your job. Also, every question in an interview is an opportunity to sell yourself, so use any opportunity you get to highlight your strengths and achievements. At the same time, be realistic in what you say. In case you are not able to answer a question, be honest and handle it assertively. 

10. Ask questions

At the end of the interview, do keep a list of questions you can ask the interviewer. Questions like -- What will be my key performance parameters? Whom will I be reporting to? -- will help the employer realize that you are serious about your career. And of course, don't forget to thank the interviewer before you leave.