3 Simple Guitar Warm Ups Youll Never Outgrow

3 Simple Guitar Warm Ups Youll Never Outgrow Megan L. Do you play guitar warm ups before you practice guitar? Here, teacher Kirk R. shares three guitar exercises that are perfect for players of all levels. There are literally thousands of exercises and warm ups for the guitar. There are some that are great for beginners who are just getting used to having their fingers on the guitar, and some that are designed to challenge and grow the technique of seasoned players. But who has time to learn thousands of guitar exercises? Wouldnt you rather learn a few simple routines that will continue to push your technique as long as you play the guitar? Here are the only three guitar warm ups youll ever need! Each of these guitar exercises will benefit players of any level. Top 3 Guitar Warm Ups Guitar Warm Up 1: Left Hand String Skipping This is one of the simplest guitar warm ups that I use every day. It begins with your first, or index, finger on the first fret of the lowest string. Youll then hop the same finger to the fifth string, also on the first fret. Continue moving up one string at a time until you reach the first, or highest string and then return, one string at a time, to the lowest. Repeat this on the first four frets each time with a different finger. This is a great technical guitar exercise that may seem too simple for more experienced guitarists at first. If you think it’s too easy, make sure to pay attention to the articulation and connection of each note. Play it slowly and try to make one note fully connect to the next, with no gap in the sound caused by lifting the finger too early. Guitar Warm Up 2: Chromatic Scales This is another one of my favorite guitar warm ups that I still practice  every day. Not only do I currently use it, but Ive been playing chromatic scales since my first guitar lesson when I was a kid. It can be played in a variety of ways, but lets start with the simplest. It can be played on any string, but here Ill use the second string as an example. We begin on the open note followed by the notes of frets 1, 2, 3, and 4 played with the index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers, respectively. After reaching the highest note, follow the same pattern back down. Its simple, uses all the left hand fingers, and it’s easy to memorize: sounds like a useful warm up to me! Once you’re comfortable playing this on every string, you can combine the patterns and move from the low E all the way to the G# on the fourth fret of the first string. One hiccup in the pattern happens between the third and second strings. If you play both the fourth fret, third string, and the open second string (marked with parentheses below), you’ll have two B naturals. The solution is simply to play one or the other. I like to change it up to keep on my toes. You havent had enough chromatic scales, you say? There are plenty more permutations of this same basic pattern. The next step is to continue beyond the high G# all the way to the 12th fret E on the first string. You can do this in a couple of ways, but my recommendation is to shift up a single string from the first to the 12th fret (three groupings of finger 1, 2, 3 and 4). I like to do six complete scales (low open E to high 12th fret E) each time shifting on a different string. As with all shifts, pay close attention to your left forearm. Once youve mastered all of these guitar exercises, try playing them in parallel octaves. Guitar Warm Up 3: Accent Patterns If youve been trying out the guitar exercises thus far, your left hand could probably use a rest. This warm up is designed to give you better control of the accenting of notes regardless of how theyre struck and what the notes before and after them are doing. The concept is quite simple. Youre going to play a group of 2 to 10 notes with certain ones accented, or played more loudly, and the rest more quietly. Lets begin with an easy one. Play a group of two notes, accenting the first and playing the second more softy. Continue repeating this pattern until it is comfortable and can be done without focusing on it. Next lets reverse our pattern, accenting the second note of the pair. This may seem like a small change, but remember youll be using different muscles to accent this second note. For players using a pick, this will change the accent from happening on a down stroke (the natural accent), to happening on the up stroke. If playing without a pick, keep your pattern of right hand fingers the same (imim or mimi) so that a different finger is accented. Additionally, use unusual right hand patterns, such as all the same finger, or all down strokes. These simple ideas can produce a variety of helpful patterns that, if practiced regularly, will give you the flexibility to accent the notes you want regardless of the finger or direction of the stroke forced by the context. Here are a few more suggested patterns to get you started. Remember to always make sure that your notes are an even length and that playing the patterns comfortably and accurately is more important than playing them fast and impressively. What guitar exercises do you play every day? Share the guitar warm ups you use in your practice routine with us below! Post Author:  Kirk R. Kirk is a classical, bass, and acoustic guitar instructor in Denver, CO. He has a Bachelors in Guitar Performance and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in performance.   Learn more about Kirk  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

The Role of Private Tutoring for Secondary School Students

The Role of Private Tutoring for Secondary School Students How to Find a Good Tutor for your Child ChaptersThe Importance of Success During Key Stage 4Offering Remedial Teaching to Students in Difficulty to Avoid Technology ClassesTutoring to Prepare for the GCE Advanced English Language OptionExtra School Support to Revise Subjects and Gain MethodologyTutoring and Advanced Level Subjects: isn't that a bit much?Post-secondary education has always been a stressful, exhausting and long process. This has not changed. Many youths across the United Kingdom refuse to further their education because they are afraid of failure.The UK Education System implemented in 1951 the GCE Advanced Level, comparable to a French baccalaureate, that trains British students from 16-18 to prepare for university. Students are required to study 3 or 4 A Level subjects simultaneously during this two year period. Pupils can choose from a wide variety of subjects according to the education board. Most commonly offered subjects include Art Design, Economics, English Literature, Government Politics and Histor y.Even if the student chooses a subject that they enjoy, the A-level tests are still difficult and require a lot of studying in order to succeed. Students who do not achieve the desired results during the exam period are often devastated and left without many options to choose from.British pupils and their parents alike often play the blame game when they are not achieving the results they wish for. Many find faults in the lack of motivation from the student, the incompetence of the teachers to transmit the information correctly, or even the National Education System.The one who bears the real burden in this entire situation is the distressed pupil who must now look for alternative solutions to be accepted into a university or the workforce. This causes a lot of stress and anxiety at a very young age.How to avoid all of this heartache? If you were thinking, home tutoring  or online tutoring, you guessed right! Private tutoring sessions fortify the student's  knowledge about things a lready learnt and help with providing the extra school support needed to have the pupil face the future with confidence and hope.future choices at a post-secondary level.During this very important year, the student will begin to learn more about common culture, test his subject preferences and discover his strengths and weaknesses by trying out different disciplines.Based on the pupil's academic achievements, his own motivation and the opinion of his teachers, during the end of Key Stage 4, the student will be able to make a sound decision to choose four subjects to study during the GCE Advanced Level.Many studies and statistics have proven that students perform better on courses that they enjoy. They are also more motivated to broaden their skills and learn more about the subject they have chosen. Telegraph Online has a great article detailing the effects of choosing a learning path that you enjoy.How will a young student know what he enjoys and excels at?   A private tutor! Studen ts feel vulnerable and insecure at this stage. This is very understandable because this decision and choice is one that will shape their way of life. Private academic instructors work towards ensuring a stable atmosphere where the student can choose without feeling pressure from his teachers and parents.Private tutors guide their students to success by helping them choose between university or vocational programs, scholarships to apply for and their own personal academic orientation. Success is attainable!Offering Remedial Teaching to Students in Difficulty to Avoid Technology ClassesPressure from parents to succeed and an intense workload can cause a lot of anxiety for students. (Source: Visual Hunt)Caught in the turmoil of family ambitions, some students will need homework help to lead them to pass the A-levels with flying colours.  Indeed, if the student is coming from a scientific, economic or literary family, whose older brothers and sisters have already passed the A-Level exam s with honours, he is pressured to succeed and make a good name for the family.The student begins to feel pressured to choose scientifical or technological based subjects to please the family and it is as if there is a dark cloud of disappointment looming over his head. The student starts to become obsessed with succeeding and views it as the only option in order to avoid family dismay...It is therefore during this downward spiral of result based pressure that a private tutor comes highly recommended.  Just like a player of a successful football team, a private educator enters the game after half-time showing all his talent to avoid seeing his team lose.A private tutor becomes a member of the team and he does all he can to see the MVP, the pupil, succeed. Although prepared, trained and more than motivated to support the student, he will evolve in a hostile educational environment.The private tutor needs to prove himself capable because his desired presence at first, will depend on t he results that he must quickly acquire to avoid being thrown out of the house by the student or his parents.Thus, the private instructor will need to work extra hard to ensure that lessons are tailored to the student and that he is making noticeable progress. The teacher will have to properly execute a stable pace, apply the appropriate methodology and reinforce the student's concentration during the one on one at home classes.The best tutors prepare mentally for the announcement of each and every test result. A professional educator is able to think about the potential errors and problems of the student. They have the ability to think ahead and foresee just like an experienced football coach. They know which plays need work.Extra school support can be started at a primary school level to ensure you that your child is confident and successful! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson f ree!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTutoring to Prepare for the GCE Advanced English Language OptionFor British citizens, with English being their mother tongue, many may think that choosing the English Language Option at an A Level will be a piece of cake. If it's your language, what could go wrong?Many think this way but the English Language option is more challenging at an A Level than it is at a GCSE level. However, that does not mean that success is beyond the reach of all secondary school students. This option is available at the majority of the exam boards and may come a bit easier in comparison to other subjects.Just like any other subject, the key to success is careful study and preparation. If the young student is interested in pursuing a career in teaching at a primary or secondary school level, teaching English as a foreign language, journalism, writing, marketing or public relations the English Language at an A Level is for him. It would be wise for the student to start preparing and improving his language skills during his last years of secondary school, particularly during Key Stage 4.Studying English can be very enjoyable as you study the famous works of Shakespeare and Jane Austen. (Source: Visual Hunt)If your child is having trouble mastering the English language, understanding literary texts, grammar and vocabulary, don't despair a private English tutor can be of great aid to have the student reach his academic goals. The tutor should consider reading and writing sheets, practising oral expressions and literary terms.Language tutors would do well to revise the syllabus offered for the English Language option and consider elements that could be beneficial to the student such as:Responding to literature. Reading through selected text s and preparing to answer a selection of questions or write a small essay.Analyzing poems from various authors and pre-20th-century texts from classic authors such as William Shakespeare.As a private tutor, it is a great help to be passionate about the English language. This passion will be contagious and the student will want to study more and acquire invaluable knowledge.Make personal tutoring sessions entertaining and well structured. Having a good rapport with the student will facilitate conversations and make the pupil feel that there truly are no stupid questions. English is a silly but beautiful language with many exceptions, share your personal tricks in order to have the student come out ahead and succeed!Extra School Support to Revise Subjects and Gain MethodologyMany students look to private tutors for specialized attention due to overcrowded classrooms. (Source: Visual Hunt)The coefficient attributed to each A Level subject plays a lot in the choice of determining what t est preparation help the student needs to pass the finals.Whether you are straight A or average student, the academic support you receive in all of your selected subjects is nevertheless of vital importance to continue progressing and receive good results on your final exams.Here are 5 reasons justifying supplemental instruction while studying and revising the A Level subjects:Some classes  are full of students and sometimes struggling pupils don't receive the academic support they need. A personal tutor fills in the blanks of the distracted classroom professor and helps the student succeed in very important subjects.Gives customized tips and tricks in order to improve the student's school performance.A personal academic educator teaches the student new, invaluable methods that will follow him throughout his whole academic career.The student is encouraged to have better study skills and do more homework to prepare himself for the future.Develop the pupils learning faculties so that they can graduate with honours!Tutoring and Advanced Level Subjects: isn't that a bit much?Burn out or mental exhaustion is the worry of every concerned parent who thinks that their child's workload is too intense for such a young age...Every year, secondary students from the United Kingdom spend about 714 hours at school. This is higher than the worldwide average of 656 hours a year but still a lot lower than other nations such as Chile and the United States each reporting over 1000 hours of school yearly.  Therefore with these facts, British school children and parents should not complain. The question of spending too much time at school and doing homework is not relevant.The real question that needs to be asked is whether the student is fulfilled in the studies he leads, the extracurricular activities he participates in and that he is not too pressured by his parents to overachieve.Remedial teaching should never be considered as an unnecessary burden because it offers help to the student in many aspects such as teaching him the right methods, assisting the pupil to understand the lessons and sometimes even by participating in the elaboration of his homework answers. If you really think about tutoring saves valuable time!In addition, a private teacher with the right qualifications is attentive to details and compassionate to the problems of the student. That is the tutor's main role!Therefore, a qualified personal educator will realize if his presence is causing annoyance to the student and will schedule at home sessions with more spaced time.The question of too many accumulated hours studying should be supervised carefully by parents of secondary and primary school students. One thing is for sure, remedial teaching can be done at any age and the results are extremely noticeable!

Inspiring Better Writing and Communication Through Blogging

Inspiring Better Writing and Communication Through Blogging Good verbal and nonverbal communication is a critical skill that your teen will use for the rest of his or her life, but for many students, writing is a difficult task that they are not eager to practice. One great way to get your teen working on those writing and communication skills is by encouraging him or her to start a blog. For today's social-media-savvy students, blogging is a natural fit with the things they enjoy. And as an added benefit, it's a wonderful way for students to learn to express themselves better through writing. Here are several things to keep in mind to help your teen enjoy-and gain the most from-blogging: Your teen should blog about something he or she is passionate about. Forcing your teen to blog about his or her English class may backfire on you, but if your teen loves movies, why not create a movie review blog? If he or she is on the road to college, how about a blog about those adventures? Fun is the key, as your teen is unlikely to keep up a blog that feels like homework. Blogging is a chance to express one's views. Teens have opinions, and a blog is a great way for them to share those viewpoints. As with in-person discussions and written reports, your teen will learn through blogging that articulating his or her ideas to others takes focus and effort. Blogging can help your teen with the brainstorming process. Just like a writing assignment for school, each blog post that your teen develops will require thinking and planning. This is a beneficial process-to identify a topic, distill it down into the key points to cover, and communicate those points thoughtfully. A blog may even strengthen your teen's research skills. The more your teen gets into blogging, the more likely he or she is to delve into the topics he or she writes about. For example, if your teen blogs about music (favorite bands, perhaps), writing quality blog posts will require him or her to research those bands, cite sources and the like. Blogs will gain feedback. Because it is a public and interactive forum, your teen's blog may develop a following of readers who offer their compliments and opinions in the blog's comments. They may challenge your teen's ideas, make suggestions, or make your teen think about things in new and different ways. Writing for an audience in this way will help your teen learn to reflect on his or her writing and strive to write better each and every time he or she posts. Quality writing rules apply. Well-written blogs speak to their audience. They put forth compelling ideas in a clear way. They are concise, not wordy, and they keep people reading. Whether your teen is writing an essay for English class or a college application essay, these are valuable lessons on what it takes to write well. Keep it clean. Remind your teen that a blog is public and visible to anyone-including college admissions officers, future employers, teachers and others. It's fine to express him or herself, but he or she should do so in a tasteful, tactful and professional way. A good rule of thumb is to never post anything on a blog (or anywhere online) that he or she wouldn't want one of those people to read. Blogging has many educational benefits and may be a lot of fun for your teen. Most importantly, it can help your teen hone his or her communication and writing skills and learn to enjoy writing as a form of self expression.

A Natural Treatment for ADHD

A Natural Treatment for ADHD Have you noticed that your childs ADHD symptoms seem better on days when he or she is more active? Is your child able to sit and focus on his or her homework more easily once he or she has run around and burned off some energy after school? Researchers have only recently begun studying the effects of exercise on ADHD, but results from early studies are promising. Engaging in moderate-to intense-exercise multiple days a week appears to improve ADHD symptoms, executive functioning (read more about executive functioning in my previous post), social skills, and motor control. A recent study by Dr. Betsy Hoza, published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, compared two interventions in elementary schools. The first was a 30-minutes exercise intervention that included moderate- to-intense physical activity through games like tag and sharks and minnows. The second intervention was sedentary, and included 30-minutes of classroom art projects. Both occurred before school every day for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12-week period parent and teachers rated the children on ADHD symptoms, moodiness, social skills and motor skills. Kids in the physical activity program showed improvement in each of these areas. Scientists arent sure why exercise leads to improvement in ADHD symptoms and other areas of weakness for kids with ADHD, but they have some theories. During exercise the brain releases several chemicals serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine - which are all important for attention and emotional control. In fact, many of the stimulant medications used to treat ADHD target these same chemicals. So, it may be this exercise brain boost that drives improvements in ADHD symptoms, mood, social skills, and motor control. Exercise also improves blood flow in the brain and promotes the development of new brain cells, two factors that may also lead to improvements in ADHD symptoms. Well learn more about how exercise and ADHD symptoms are related as additional research is done. In the meantime, take advantage of what we already know and help your child get active! Its easier to get some kids moving than others. If you have a naturally active child, then finding time and an activity for him or her to do regularly may be your main challenge. If your child is more of a couch potato, then youll need to be a bit more strategic about how you get them moving! Youll have the most success long-term if you find activities that can fit into your childs regular routine. Simple things like getting to school 15 minutes early so your child can spend time on the play structure, taking time a couple of evenings a week to supervise your child while he or she rides their bike outside or plays in the backyard, or talking to your childs afterschool program about the availability of activities that require kids to be physically active. If your child is spending most of his or her time indoors these days, look into apps and websites that encourage physical activity. Im a big fan of GoNoodle, an app that allows kids to choose from guided activities like dance- and sing-alongs, Zumba for kids, track and field activities, and more. Get physically active with your kids. Outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, and skating are great, but simple activities can be good too. Invite your child to come with you when you walk the dog or work in the yard. You can turn every day activities like these into special one-on-one or family bonding time. If youre stuck indoors, try to get creative. Kids always love a spontaneous family dance party! Weve always known that exercise is great for physical health, and promising new research is showing that it may help with ADHD symptoms too. While its not a cure for ADHD, exercise is a great supplement to any ADHD management program. So, give your child the boost he or she may need by helping him or her be more physically active every day ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

5 Steps Towards Conquering the Winter Blues

5 Steps Towards Conquering the Winter Blues Image via https://pixabay.com 1.  Embrace the Winter Weather While it’s usually tempting during the cold, gray winter months to just stay inside and watch movies all day, doing so can leave you feeling bored and listless. One great way to conquer the winter blues is by forcing yourself to get outside regardless of the weather. Take advantage of the season by playing in the snow, or go for a walk or jog to enjoy the feel of the crisp air on your face. Being outside for a bit during the day can play a big role in improving your mood, especially if it means being exposed to some sunlight and absorbing a bit of Vitamin D. Even if you only go out for a brief amount of time, the activity and fresh air will help to expel some of those winter blues. 2.  Exercise Regularly When it’s cold outside and all you want to do is bundle up with some hot chocolate, it can be appealing to forgo your usual exercise routine in favor of having a lazy day. However, too many days without exercise may cause you to feel sluggish and down. To avoid a dip in your mood, it’s important to stay active and maintain a regular fitness routine. Even a brisk walk in the morning will be beneficial, as staying physically active will help prevent you from falling into a winter rut. It will also give you an outlet for your energy, and will encourage your brain to release some endorphins to improve your mood and drive the winter blues away. 3.  Conquer the Cold One of the worst feelings associated with winter is that of being cold all the time. If you tend to go out underdressed for the weather, the cold will not only make you uncomfortable, but can leave you feeling irritable as well. According to NHS, “staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half”â€"in other words, it’s worth it to dress warmly when venturing outdoors. You can also keep warm by taking advantage of all of those warm foods and drinks that are popular in the wintertime. Have some healthy soup for dinner or a cup of hot chocolate when you get home from class. The warmer you are both when indoors and outdoors, the less susceptible you’ll be to the effects of the winter blues. 4.  Socialize Again, it’s easy during the winter to go into a sort of hibernation, where you spend the majority of time at home on your own rather than venturing out into the cold. In becoming more of a homebody, you may inadvertently find yourself spending less time with your friends and more time on your own, which if it goes on for too long can make you feel lonely and down. Instead of spending all of your free time in, make an effort to see your friends and to keep your social calendar relatively full. You can even invite your friends over for a movie night or dinner if you really don’t want to leave the comfort of your home; just being around other people will help to lift your spirits considerably. 5.  Enjoy Indoor Activities When it’s too cold to go out, avoid the winter blues by finding some new things to do inside. Try picking up a new hobby during the winter months, such as drawing or scrapbooking. In addition to giving you a new way to fill up your time indoors, these activities will also give you a way to channel some of your creative energy, and will help to reduce your stress levels. Especially considering you’ll probably want to spend your time outdoors once spring comes around, it’s a good idea to take advantage of all the fun things you can do inside now; read some of those books you’ve been meaning to get to, or tackle some of the tasks that you’ve been putting off. The more you have to do while you’re stuck inside, the less you’ll feel the negative effects of the season. Though the winter blues may seem insurmountable as you encounter one dreary day after another, being aware of how you’re feeling and taking steps to combat it can help you greatly improve your mood. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, full social calendar, and resisting that ever-tempting urge to become a couch potato, you’ll hopefully start to feel more energized and upbeat. If you find yourself still feeling listless, consider consulting a doctor to see what else you can do. Above all, keep in mind that the winter will come to an end eventually, and that (even if it doesn’t feel like it) spring is just around the corner!

How To Negotiate Your Salary

How To Negotiate Your Salary Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels Be Prepared One of the best ways to assure yourself victory in negotiating your salary is to be prepared. And look at you, reading this very article! You are already working hard to get yourself prepared for salary negotiation. The first step of preparing yourself is to get organized. Start at the beginning. Jot down thoughts and questions you may have about your company, your position, your salary, your achievements, anything. From there, you can create an outline of what exactly your raise should be, when you should get it, why you deserve it, and why you deserve it now. Organizing your thoughts will help you to have a clear head when you go into the negotiations and help you to streamline what you are going to say and what your arguments for getting the higher salary will be. Infographic by Danielle Wirsansky The next step is to do research and learn more about current salary rates are for your industry and, if you can get the information, for the specific company as well. Glassdoor is a really great resource to help you see what the salary rates are for your industry and, if your company is big enough, what it is at your specific company as well. See if you can get any information about what the salary for someone in your position might be nationally and compare it to your own and see what needs to change. You can also talk to recruitersâ€"a lot of people might ignore their calls, but if you are savvy, you can talk to them about what the industry standards are so you can have a better idea of what your raise may be. You might not necessarily be looking for a new job, but talking to them can help you negotiate your salary to a point that you do not need to switch jobs. And if you can’t, talking to the recruiters will show you that you do have other options. All of this research will lead you to a specific pointâ€"and to a specific number. This is because asking for a very specific salary will help you be more likely to actually get that salary. For example, asking for $44,750 a year for your salary is more likely to be accepted by a company in a negation then asking for a flat, unspecific number like $45,000. Researchers at  Columbia Business school  established that “first-offer recipients make greater counteroffer adjustments to round versus precise offers” as well as that “negotiators who make precise first offers are assumed to be more informed than negotiators who make round first offers and that this perception partially mediates the effect of first-offer precision on recipient adjustments.” This is because “…precise numerical expressions imply a greater level of knowledge than round expressions and are therefore assumed by recipients to be more informative of the true value of the good being negotiated.” More than that, going in with a concrete idea of what you want and what you are willing to accept can be very helpful in helping you to achieve results when negotiating your salary. Once you know what you want and what you want to say, practice, practice, practice! You know the old adage, “Practice makes perfect!” Nail down what you want to say, how you want to bring up the topic, all those things that will help you to walk away from that negotiation victorious. Practice in the mirror, rehearse scenarios with your friends, anything that you can do to help get you in the mindset of the negotiation. Finally, make sure that you are truly ready and deserving of this raise. Have you worked at your company for the requisite amount of time (generally at least a year)? Have you exceeded rather than simply only met expectations? Have you had any major achievements or milestones in your career during this period of time with the company? You want most of the answers to these questions to be yes in order to put yourself on the best footing for these salary negotiations. To be informed is to have power. If you know the salary you should be getting according to industry standards, and your company is not willing to give it to you, then you know there are other companies out there that will. Be Confident Another really great tactic to try in your salary negotiations, if you can swing it, is to be confident. Be confident in your approach, in what you are wearing, in what you are saying, and most importantly, in that you deserve a higher salary than you are currently being offered or paid. First of all, you need to know your value. And really know it, deep down. If you are not confident that you bring value to your position, team, and company, then that is going to shine through during the negotiations. And why would the company acknowledge your value if you do not recognize it yourself? There is a line from the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower that goes, “We accept the love we think that we deserve.” Now apply this quote to your salary negotiations. Consider the love to be your salary. The love and recognition you get from your company are demonstrated through your salary. So be confident! Stay strong! And accept only the salary that you think you deserve. Believe in your work and contributions to the company. If you were not being productive and aiding the company, you would not be there. Part of knowing your value is knowing exactly what you deserve too. It is not enough to know that you deserve moreâ€"you need to know exactly how much more you deserve. As discussed earlier in this article, you need to have a specific number on hand in order to negotiate. If you do not have a number, then the negotiations might get away from you, which simply will not due. Many employees make the mistake of offering a range during negotiations. This is not necessarily recommended. There usually is a range in which others in comparable positions in your industry are being paid, and you personally probably have a range in which you are hoping to be paid. But when you offer up a whole range, the company is almost always going to go for the lowest number. They want to pay you as little as possible so that they can still turn a profit. And since it is a number that you put out on the table, it would be a bit of a faux pas to turn around and tell them that their offer, on the low end of the range, is unacceptable. If this salary was not acceptable, then why did you put it on the table? Asking for a salary in the middle range is where many employees often jump too, but why not have the confidence and assume that you are worthy of the top of the salary range? After all, your employers are most likely going to negotiate down from whatever number you offer, so it can be a powerful move to give the high-end number and negotiate down to the middle of the range if you would be perfectly happy with such a number. The final step of being confident during salary negotiation is knowing whenâ€"and being willingâ€"to walk away when the company will not meet your minimum requests. What is the breaking point, the number so low it will cause you to walk away from the negotiation? If the company is not willing to pay you the salary that you know you deserve, not only from your experience, your actions, and the industry standards, then this may not be a company that deserves you. Keep your head up high. Know your worth. And walk away. Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels Supply a Mini-Resume Another tactic to try during the salary negotiation process is to create something like a mini-resume to hand to your opponent in the negotiation. That way, you can support your argument that you deserve a raise or a higher salary. It is basically a cheat sheet clearly laying out all of your achievements in the last yearâ€"all the awards you may have received, any accomplishments you have made, all the projects you have finished. It shows that you are productive and that not only do you do your work but that you help uphold and maintain the company’s good name. It is proof that you have been an asset to the company. You can even include testimony in this mini resume. It could be from clients, raving about the service you have provided them or their experience working with you. It could also be testimony from your co-workers, crediting you for an achievement within a group setting. Email testimonies will work too! Including these shows that you are a great teammate that works well with others and that clients are very satisfied working with you. Do not just hand them the sheet and expect them to peruse it while you talk about other things. Go over it with them point by point, clearly showcasing your achievements and allowing them to ask any questions they may have. Be sure to bring up occasions where you have gone above and beyond the call of duty in your jobâ€"and then bring up things you are hoping to do in the future and how you plan to go above and beyond there too. This shows the company that they are not going to give you a raise or meet your salary requirements only for you to become complacent. They are paying you to continue that enthusiasm as you move on to new projects. By lowballing you during a salary negotiation, they know there is a chance that you could walk away. And if they do that, their customers and clients will be less than pleased. They will be more likely to work with you on your salary when they are faced with the prospect of losing you if they cannot satisfy your requirements. In the end, whether you get the raise or exactly the salary you wanted, the negotiation process will be a learning experience that will help you. That way, next time, you will be in a stronger place to cinch that dream salary the next time or even increase it. Stay strong and good luck with your salary negotiations!

3 Reasons Why Living with Uncertainty is Good

3 Reasons Why Living with Uncertainty is Good Photo by Mar10os via Flickr.com2. Life is a constant surprise.In life, there are no scripts or rehearsals. After a while, people get tired of living a routine lifestyle. This is why many choose careers that allow them to experience something new everyday. When something becomes repetitive, the appreciation tends to fade away with time. A doctor goes to work with new adventures everyday. A lawyer seldom knows what will happen in the courtroom. An event planner seldom replicates the same event twice. Whereas some industrial careers are very repetitive. Factory workers will be assembling the same car model every day. Cookie factories will bake the same cookie everyday. Unless someone from these last two careers changes their routines outside of work regularly, it may become too repetitive for enjoyment. Just enjoy the uncertainty. Every situation is new and it’s okay to not have control of everything. This will take away so many worries away from your life.3. It allows you to enjoy th e present more.By worrying about the future, you let the present go by without enjoying it. If you’re worried about something going on tomorrow, next week, or next year, there is no way that you are fully engaged in what is going on right now. Do you ever think about how many amazing things that you missed out on because you were stressed out about a non-crucial situation? Well, don’t. That means that you are not even enjoying this article enough because you are worrying about something from the past. The only thing constant is change. The past is the only thing we know for sure.Its okay not to know what youre doing after graduation or after this semester is over. As long as you dont let these worries take over your present state of being.