Interview Horror Stories from HR (plus, 5 tips)

As May graduation is upon us many students will be entering the workforce for the first time. Even if you have been swimming in the work pool for a while, let’s face it, some of us can use all the interview help we can get.

So, before you find yourself getting jittery in an office lobby and sweating through the new suit mom and dad bought you, we decided to do a little interviewing ourselves and asked business owners and human resource professionals to share their insights on hiring new candidates.

“Interviewing can be invigorating and fun when talking with a confident, qualified applicant that I can imagine contributing towards the team and the business. On the other hand, an applicant that didn’t take the time to prepare or is disrespectful is one of the biggest tests to my patience”, said Martin Chan, President of Viogee, Inc..

There are definitely some lessons to be learned from the horror stories of candidates past to help you from committing your own interview crimes.

Here are 5 examples of what to do to land the job derived from stories of what NOT to do:

1. Be Prepared: Interview amnesia is a real thing and it’s one part funny, two parts off-putting for any employer.

• Interviewer: How are you doing? My name is Martin and I’ll be interviewing you today.
• Applicant: Nice to meet you Mark.
• Interviewer: Uhh, it’s…Okay, have a seat.

• Interviewer: So what interested you in our company?
• Applicant: I’m sorry. What is the name of this company?

• Interviewer: What would you like to invest your time into professionally?
• Applicant: I don’t know. I applied to everything- which job is this again?

2. Polished Resume: A resume should accurately reflect who you are and what qualities you can bring to a company. Make sure it is your information.

I recently interviewed a candidate that used her daughter’s resume to get in the door because she thought it would be more relevant. I’ve heard about people lying on their resumes but to use a completely different person’s resume was a new all time low! Needless to say, she was not offered the position.

3. Be Respectful: Interviewers look for someone that they can imagine interacting with their clients and customers- the language they use is important!

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for a candidate to bad mouth their previous employer. I interviewed a sharp looking guy who made a great initial impression. When I asked him what his previous employer would say about his work performance, he replied, “Honestly, we didn’t see eye-to eye. He was a bit of an ***. Sorry, I say it how it is.” Suddenly he didn’t seem so sharp; needless to say, we decided not to offer him the position.

4. Be Professional: First impressions are incredibly important and hiring managers want to be impressed!

The worst interview I ever conducted was rough from the start. After introducing myself, I asked how her drive to the office was. “It was awful”, she said. “I got so lost! I’m horrible at following directions!” Later in the conference room when I asked her what attracted her to apply she got very emotional. We finished the interview but I decided to spare my office the drama.

5. Be Aware of non-verbals: What someone says is only one thing I consider- posture, eye contact, fidgeting, someone’s dress are just a few other things to take into account.

I’ll never forget interviewing a woman that had an impressive resume but zero personality. She avoided eye contact throughout the interview and spoke in a soft tone. When I asked her what would separate her from other applicants she awkwardly stared off into space, locked her purse into a death grip and all she could muster up was, “Ummmm, I don’t know”. I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

Although these slightly terrifying stories are amusing they are real situations human resource professionals have encountered more than once. Remember that the most important aspect of interviewing is to find a great match for you and the company. Hopefully, keeping that in mind will help you find the self-confidence you need to sit up straight, look your interviewer in the eye and speak with poise.

Oh, and if the hiring manager asks you how your drive to the office was just say, “Great, thanks”, because you only have one chance to make a positive first impression and the answers you give will help you demonstrate yourself as being their next rockstar employee.

Featured photo credit: Viogee, Inc. via viogee.com

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5 Essential Marketing Hacks For Startups And Small Businesses

Feel as if you’re on the waterfront with your commercial aspirations and dreams? Lacking the bucks to help put your business or startup on the map? Fortunately for prospective business owners and entrepreneurs, the environment we live in is becoming more and more digitally intertwined, thanks to our good pal, the internet. How can this help your desired trade? The internet and the ensuing digital transformation has made the ability to employ effective and influential marketing tactics significantly easier and more enjoyable than ever before. Our understanding of conventional media is changing, being replaced by new media trends. The once traditional power of television is shifting to the power of search engines and social media.

So, how can your business exploit the power this contemporary age affords? Check out the list below to see what tools you can easily and readily utilize to get your brand or startup in the eyes and minds of customers.

1. Use Social Media To Your Advantage

Whether your usual digital interactions involve sharing on Facebook, hashtagging on Instagram, or stalking your competitors on Linkedin, get on all forms of Social Media. Work to integrate all of the different channels and outlets. These networks are where millions of people spend large portions of their day, scrolling the abyss of feeds and posts. Why not get in front of them? Get your business social. Connect with friends. Comment on things and strike up conversations. Just because you might be a concrete company, doesn’t mean you don’t have condolences for a national tragedy or passion about a big sporting event. The key here is to be different. No doubt your competitors are on there too, but if you stand out in a unique sense, your brand’s image will hold more value. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Social media is an experimental field. As budding businesspeople and entrepreneurs, you should know there’s no reward without risk. Investing time or money in a social media campaign is not an option, but a necessity, so get liking.

To Do:

• Join the big networks.
• Like, share, connect.
• Comment on things, be cheeky (in good taste).
• Post content. Keep active (this is vital!).
• Target specific audiences at first and build.
• Don’t hesitate on using emojis — it helps make your image personal and human. Stats released by Adweek showed that 92% of people use emojis as they feel it expresses better than words do.
• Most importantly, don’t pester — engage with users strategically

A tool like buffer gives you control across multiple social channels and makes it considerably easier to execute campaigns and share content.

2. Create And Publish Compelling Content

Your business or startup needs content, and even more importantly, it needs high quality and stimulating content. You can publish things like articles, videos, or infographics on your own personal blog or on your social media channels. If your new venture is a revolutionary dog washing business, it’s no doubt that day-to-day operations involve some compromising and hilarious images of canines — snap, crop, write, and share, then let the vortex of the web and social media do its thing.

Alternatively, if your business trades in finance, produce a video on groundbreaking things your industry does, something that everyday people wouldn’t know or that is potentially lucrative — something share-worthy that offers value to people traversing the web or social media. It doesn’t matter if you think your business or its industry lacks glamour, every trade has a unique story or details. The key when it comes to content is personality and creativity. We all possess those things, the challenge is how you decide to channel it. The rewards can be viral!

3. Try Creative Branding

Having a logo or insignia is a no brainer when it comes to starting your own business or entrepreneurial venture. If you’re short on cash, you can capitalize on cheap alternatives online. Check out services like Fiverr or Zeerk and take advantage of the cheap options they provide in generating logos or graphic designs for businesses. These can help sort your logo and image challenges.

But how can you market that brand to stand out aside from using social media or publishing content? Never ignore the power of word of mouth. Don’t resort to the usual tactics of branding your logo on USB’s or bottle openers. Actually invest into memorable products. Know a friend going to a big party? Purchase some locally brewed beer, design your own company label, slap it on the front of the bottles, and send him or her with a free six-pack produced by your business. This isn’t a hard thing to do. It’s employing tactics like this that help your business become memorable and stand out. Jump on the trending bandwagon of crazy donuts and design your own company ones and send them to your audience. Creatively marketing your small business or startup brand is a perfect way to get your name out in the open in a unique way.

4. Use Hacks For SEO

Unless you having been living under a rock, or your business ambitions only extend as far as setting up shop in a local market, it’s a known fact that SEO is a vital component for businesses. Visibility online, especially in search engines, is key to business development and exposure. Optimizing your company’s webpage to correspond with Google’s algorithm is a must to help put your business ahead of competitors and up the top in search rankings. If you’re not employing an SEO strategy, whether you’re learning the ropes yourself or have invested in an SEO company, you’re more than likely losing out on business or investors to competitors.

What simple things can you do to implement SEO?

1. Make your webpage fast. Compress images and videos using sites like tinypng.com. Google ranks domain speed and usability — an element of their algorithm.
2. Link your company’s social pages. Google recognizes social business pages as authoritative — higher authority means higher rankings.
3. Create a Google My Business page. This increases your sites trustworthiness, a component of Google’s search algorithm.

If you truly recognize the importance of SEO, it is best to outsource it to professionals who trade in the craft. A digital marketing agency can creatively boost the rankings of your business or startup, which can lead to substantial conversions and business exposure. Do your research on a few different SEO agencies and educate yourself on the practice, reading articles and forums, so you know what to look for and who you believe can help increase your visibility. SEO is not a short game, it’s a long-term investment, but the wait is worthwhile.

5. Be Part Of The Community

Nothing is more warming than a sense of community. As a local business or startup, get on board helping communal events and festivities. If your company provides a service, how could it help the community in a not-for-profit sense? If it can, it’s a great way to showcase the personality and social heart of your business. Whether it be providing blankets to homeless people or piling up sandbags in the event of a flood, if done in a tasteful manner, helping the community through the resources of your business is a great way to connect with prospective customers within a local community. Companies that engage and help the community distinguish themselves from their competitors. Helping out locally or providing for events elicits opportunities to generate content for social media as well. Help them, help you.

Successfully marketing your small business or startup will always involve challenges. Old methods can be ineffective and new trends change constantly, making it hard to know where to best channel your time and money. All in all, there are plenty of tactics available at your disposal and the internet, creative branding, social media, the practice of SEO, and community involvement afford endless opportunities to start the conversation about your small business or startup.

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What you should know about publishing a Book.

Children learn to read at young ages, and this starts a cycle of reading and writing in every year of school they attend. Then they’re hooked and want to write text and communicate their thoughts and ideas. So yes, writing is obviously essential for ever-day life.

Most writers will tell you to not write, but why wouldn’t you? And also, how could you not? You shouldn’t assume that it will be a good career choice for you. But it is so rewarding to get a book published. Publishing is a growing career path, and enjoys a modest growth from year to year. Since Gutenberg invented the printing press, it has been a has been a career choice. The first question to the route is: Do I have a finished book?

Is it non-fiction?

If you do and it’s non-fiction it’s okay, but you’ll still need to write a proposal. This document is simple and has a bio attached. It’s used to market the book and sell it to a publisher, and you should get an agent if you want a large publisher that will give you an advance. There are several genres that do pretty well, but you can just check the recent best sellers on The Time’s website.

There’s many like these, overseas and in Los Angeles.If you’re doing a fiction novel then write the whole thing first. Make sure to edit it, or have someone else do it before your submission.

Traditional vs. Self Publishing

Most agents take a percentage of what you make in royalties, there are associations for the profession and they pledge to never charge up front for anything. The percentage they take is around 15% of what you made. If you can’t get an agent or simply don’t want to, there are companies that support peoples rights to choose and accept work not represented by an agent. These companies accept unsolicited submissions that aren’t represented.

The largest companies usually don’t accept unsolicited work, but there are some that do. There are always Outliers in any equation, and Outliers was a best seller. Being a bestseller is one in a million. These are the best sellers, and the figures come out bi-monthly. Being on the list will boost sales tremendously for new authors, but many don’t see that sort of success when publishing a book, especially their first one.

Photo Credit: Ed Gregory

Touring the country…

Some people don’t do any of this, and if you self publish you won’t have a contract stating you have to. If you like people it will be fine, but sometimes there will be appearances that don’t go as planned. If you have an aversion to large crowds you might not like this activity, which brings you to the next point. You might not have to see any more people, because you could work from home. So the cliche of writers being reclusive is spawned from the fact that you’re basically just an independent contractor selling a product — you have no office full of co-workers to travel to everyday.

You shouldn’t let tours deter you from following your dreams. The median income for writers in 2014 in the U.S. was 58,000 dollars. This is better than most job opportunities and the numbers include authors.

If you want to write but don’t want to tour the country, or have to introduce yourself to a bunch of people at a book store, then you might want to try a cubicle or office. These sort of work environments aren’t the best for creativity, but you can imagine all of the support you would get with the development of your skills. These jobs are included in the median income statistics as well.

The ending of your Book

This is the part you will love. The ending, or the completion of your manuscript will be something you should cherish and celebrate. Some like the paycheck, and this will happen later, also the editing takes time so you shouldn’t rush the process. You are only expected to write a novel a year, some can write even faster than that. This is not as time consuming as it sounds unless you’re writing something like War and Peace or Atlas Shrugged. And your first one shouldn’t be that long, it will be harder to get a large one published especially if it’s fiction.

After you get a contract and hopefully a nice advance, you aren’t through yet. You have to market your work and sign books. Some people say that you have to sell one book at a time, and others don’t have to sell in person at all. Some books are sold long after the author has died.

Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via stokpic.com

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10 Ways to Fight Against Sadness

No matter how happy we are in our day to day lives, we’ll still have those days when we feel sad.

It’s unfortunate that saying you’re going to be happy and actually being happy is a lot harder than feeling sad, but it’s true. It’s easy to let things get us down: a bad day at work, a rude comment, tough criticism, or even those days when nothing seems to go right. Fortunately, though, there are things you can do to fight against sadness and increase your happiness.

Eat Spicy Food

There’s a reason so many people enjoy eating spicy food, even when it burns. The reason for that is eating spicy food like chili peppers actually releases endorphins. And the reason eating spicy food helps to release endorphins is because when you eat something that’s hot a chemical compound called capsaicin, the thing that makes chili peppers spicy, clings to your pain receptors in the mucous membrane of your mouth and nose. That sends a signal to your brain that you’re in pain, so your body releases endorphins to make you feel better.

Use Essential Oils

Scent plays such a huge role in our emotions. For those who already use essential oil, you’ll know that there is a blend to adjust every mood. Which means there is a blend of essential oils to help make you feel happier. Those scents include orange, rose, jasmine, coriander clove bud, bergamot, lemon, geranium, cinnamon, ginger and petitgrain, ylang-ylang and lavender. Every blend has a different effect on you, so do a bit of research to find out what is best for you and take a whiff.

Listen to Music

Another sense you should use to elevate your mood is your hearing. Listening to music can help you fight against feeling sad and improve your mood, especially if you listen to fun, upbeat tunes that make you feel good. So put together a happy playlist, and the next time you find yourself feeling down simply push play.

Exercise

Everyone knows that exercising helps increase our brain’s dopamine production, which is a chemical that’s necessary to feel happy, but did you know it only takes just a few minutes for it to work? And you don’t know even need to push yourself very hard; a simple 10 minute walk around the block or a short amount of time on an exercise bike should do the trick.

Laugh

One of the best ways to boost your mood from sad to happy in just a few minutes is to laugh. However, when you’re already feeling sad laughing is often the last thing you want to do. So if you don’t feel like laughing, try watching a special by your favorite comedian or perusing silly YouTube videos.

Eat Chocolate

Chocolate is a natural painkiller, and it releases endorphins. But, don’t go for commercial candy bars that offer more sugar and artificial ingredients; instead choose a chocolate option that is purer, preferably at least 70 per cent cocoa.

Practice Gratitude

Sometimes finding things to be grateful for is extremely difficult, but once you learn to remind yourself of all of the good things in your life you’ll notice that it’s easier to feel happy. Writing out a gratitude list each day helps make you aware of all of the things in your life that are amazing, which is surprisingly easy to forget. Even though this seems like an easy task to do, it can be a lot more difficult than you might imagine, but will also have a huge impact on your life.

Get Outside

By just spending 20 minutes a day outside you can boost your mood. Being outside helps your body absorb Vitamin D, which has been found to help prevent depression.

Spend Time With Friends

Whenever you’re feeling sad, call a friend and make plans to get together. Having something to look forward to will give you something to feel excited about, and being around your friends will make you happy just by being able to talk and laugh with them.

Smile

Finally, make yourself smile, even when you don’t want to. It has been scientifically proven that smiling will actually make you feel happy. So even you don’t feel like it, fake it until you make it.

Featured photo credit: Flickr via flickr.com

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6 Things Anyone Thinking of Adopting a Pet Must Know

There are millions of pets out there that need a lot of caring and love. This is the main reason why people decide to adopt one of these lovely creatures. Whether it is a cat, a dog or some other type of pet, adoption is something that should be taken seriously. Having a pet is one of the unique joys in life, but it is in no way something to be taken lightly. There are simply many things that you should know before you definitely decide to adopt a pet.

1. Dedicate some time for appropriate research

Before going to the local shelter, you should scout your town or city for a good veterinarian. This way you are going to be certain that you have someone to turn too in case something goes wrong. The vet is going to help you out with picking the right food for your adorable pet, get to know which type of vaccines you should get for the future and so on. These are the small things that are very important for a more secure future.

Additionally, give your best to find other owners who gather from time to time and let their pets play. Socialization is equally as important for pets as it is for us people. Your little furry friend will love to play around with its pals. You can do some research online, so that you know what steps you could take to make your living space pet-friendly. By doing this you will begin to understand that adopting a pet is a serious commitment.

2. Do not rush, having a pet creates obligations

Make sure that you have enough time in your schedule for the pet you are planning to adopt. Your home is going to be a whole new surrounding and the pet is going to need some time to adapt to it. It is necessary that you have a certain amount of time to dedicate to the little one. If your day is already cramped with numerous obligations, wait for a more peaceful period, which is going to leave a window of time for your little friend.

Adopting a pet is a serious task due to the fact that cats, dogs and many other animals are there to stay for years to come. If you think that at some point of your life you are not going to be able to take care of it, simply avoid adopting one just because it is cute.

3. Know that you are going to have increased expenditure

These expenses are not usually high, but for some people, pet related expenses can be quite a stress on the budget. You have to think about grooming your pet, paying for a veterinarian, medications and vaccinations, not to mention the food. These are not expensive things, but it is important to keep them on your mind in case you are going through a rough patch. Simply postpone adaptation if these expenses are going to present a shock for your budget.

4. Analyze the pet’s personality

This is an easy task – while you are in the shelter simply spend some time observing animals. For example, if you are planning on adopting a dog, there are several factors that can easily show you the character of a dog. If you are planning to adopt a younger dog, you can already predict that it is going to have a lot more energy and that it is going to require more than three walks a day. However, if you go for a mature dog, a couple of walks every day will do just fine.

Talk with the people at the shelter – they can give you a description of every pet, the type of character it has, how it behaves, what you can expect from a pet like that etc. Doing these things is going to help you pick the pet that suits your character the most. With the right choice, both you and your pet are going to be happy.

5. Remember that you are going to clean your home more often

This is not a problem, but it is an important reminder. Most furry pets shed their hair each season. This is the period of the year when you are going to have to do a bit more grooming. If there are any stains made by your pets, there is a wide variety of products that can help you keep your home fresh and clean no matter how bad the situation is.

If you have carpets in your home, they can easily be cleaned nowadays, which is going to keep them pet odor free. These are simply some things that you are easily going to adapt too. It is just like taking care of your home regularly, with a little bit more effort.

6. The first month is critical

Once you have adopted your pet, the first month is going to be the toughest, as this is the adjustment period. Before adoption, make sure that you are going to have a lot of time during this period. This is the period when a lot of your focus should be on your pet, as it is going to bond with you. This does not mean that later on you won’t have to do anything, but take this time to build a strong foundation in the relationship between you and your pet.

These are the most important things you should know before adopting a pet. In the end, it is important to mention that with all these things comes something priceless and that is the feeling of learning to love your pet and sharing a timeless bond of friendship.

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How to allergy-proof your house

Are you sneezing? What about coughing and watering eyes? If you recognize these symptoms in you or a family member, you are probably one of the 20% Americans who suffer from allergies. You can be allergic to a lot of things, from pollen to strawberries, but staying inside the house is not an option, as your home is packed with potential allergens. Dust, mold, bed bugs and dust mites are only some of the factors which can lead to an allergic reaction. To make sure you are going to cut down the time you spend with a running nose, learn how to allergy-proof your house!

However, first check with the doctor and find out what you’re allergic to, then follow the next steps on how to remove pet dander, pollens and dust mites from your home.

Start with your own bedroom

Did you know our lashes are home to eyelash mites? Your bellybutton also has some guests, so it won’t come as a surprise to find out your bedroom is filled with allergens. First, there is dust, which contains the notorious dust mites and is a powerful allergy trigger, so first thing you need to do is vacuum and dust everything in the room. Pay attention to your pillows and mattress as well. Speaking of mattresses, they carry another common allergen: bed bugs. To reduce your risk of developing an allergy from these little guys, make sure you vacuum the mattress and spray it with a bed bug extermination spray.

Use special dust mite covers and make sure you replace all the covers at least once a month.

No more rugs and drapes

The next step on your quest to allergy-proof your house is to replace the rugs, carpets and drapes. In fact, you have two options here: you can either replace them with new ones or simply give up on them for good. Carpets and drapes attract dust and pollen, so in time, they can become a real problem. Each time you step on the carpet or you drag the drapes, you are releasing the allergens into air.

If you can, give up on the carpet and replace it with a small rug, which can be cleaned easier; instead of drapes, put blinds or a type of window treatment which is compatible with frequent machine washes.

If you live in an old house, the hardwood flooring might be a real problem: just like carpets, it becomes clogged with dust, dander, pollen and microscopic mites, which irritate your nose, eyes and throat. The solution: replace it as soon as possible.

No shoes rule

Each time you walk inside the house, you carry pollen, dust and other tiny debris on your shoes. To avoid spreading them all over the house, put a doormat inside the house and one outside the house. Apart from that, buy multiple slippers and have them near the door, so each time you or a guest comes inside, they can easily take off the shoes and leave them at the door, along with all those allergens.

Upgrade your vacuum cleaner

A vacuum with a HEPA filter can make wonders for cleaning and allergy-proofing your house: they can remove really fine particles of dust and debris. This means your house is going to be cleaner, so don’t neglect updating your vacuum if you have an old one.

Change the air filters

When talking on how to allergy-proof your house one can’t stress enough on the importance of replacing the air filters. Your cooling system traps and circulates all those mites and disgusting particles which cause your allergies. In time, exposure to this cocktail of old dust, pollen and moulds, can increase your risk of developing asthma or another respiratory condition. To avoid this, replace the filters once or twice a year, making sure there is no foul smell coming from the AC system.

Watch out for those vents

When you are replacing the filters, you can also check where the air is being circulated: if your system is recirculating indoor air, via the attic, you’ve just found your biggest enemy. Replace the system with one able to take out the moist, heavy air from your house.

Mold issues

Mold is another huge culprit for allergies and it develops in wet, dirty places, like the back of the sink, the shower curtain and cracked tiles. Inspect your bathroom and kitchen and if you find a crack, seal it. Make sure the surfaces are always clean and dried off, to prevent mold formation.

5 scary facts about the creatures you share your house (and bed) with

1. Bed bugs know when you are asleep by measuring the carbon dioxide in your breath; they never come out in the day.
2. Bed bug bites can lead to a violent allergic reaction with red, bright blisters.
3. Dust mites live on your hair and skin.
4. An average pillow increases its weight by 10% in six months all because the number of dust mites and their poop.
5. Synthetic fabrics are a dust mite’s best friends, as they can trap moisture, making your bed a dust mite heaven: warm, moist and dark. Where does the moisture comes from? A person sweats about one litre during sleep.

Featured photo credit: paultom2104/Flickr via flickr.com

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How to Prepare For College Final Exams Using the Internet

It’s no surprise that the Internet has had a profound impact on the way we study and prepare for exams. Rather than spending hours in a library looking for relevant content, we can just fire up Google to find anything we want.

But the Internet isn’t just a great resource for information; it also has a huge selection of websites specifically designed to help you prepare for exams. You can get everything from study guides and flash cards to videos and blogs that will help you prepare. And some websites even feature free practice tests. Here are 12 websites that can help you prepare for your college final exams.

1. Rescue Me

How much time do you think you spend wandering around Facebook, Twitter, and other time-sucking social media websites? If you think it’s cutting into your study time, you can download Rescue Me. It will run in the background of your computer and keep track of where you spend your time so you can get a handle on it. If you find that you’re wasting way too much time, Rescue Me can temporarily block all of those websites.

2. Duolingo

Duolingo is a free app that lets you learn a new language (almost) effortlessly. If you have a final in a foreign language, you can use Duolingo to brush up on your language skills while waiting for a bus, standing on line at the store, or as an official study session. And if you’re not taking a language final, it can be a fun way to keep your brain engaged while still taking a break from actual studying.

3. Booktrack

Do you have to read a novel as part of your study plan? Booktrack will give that novel a soundtrack! Reading has never been so exciting!

4. Study Blue

Study Blue is the largest online library of flashcards, notes, and study guides for almost any topic you can imagine. You can use the existing tools or create your own to add to the database.

5. Trello

Professional businesses rely on Trello to manage their schedules, documents, team members, and strategies. It only makes sense that you could use the app to manage your finals calendar and all of the relevant study materials, documents, and deadlines.

6. Study Buddy

If you find that your study time is disjointed, poorly organized, and all consuming, then study buddy might provide a better way to manage your time and resources. Study Buddy lets you set alarms on your study time and reminds you when you should take a break. You can also use the app to track how much time you spend studying and how much you spend on other time-draining apps (like Facebook and Twitter).

7. 4tests

4tests is a free website that provides access to practice exams. You can take a practice GED, TOEFL, SAT, or ACT among others.

8. FetchNotes

FetchNotes is a genius way to store and organize your notes for easier studying. As you go through the semester, add notes to FetchNotes, and label them with a hashtag. Then, you can study one set of hashtagged notes at a time. It’s a brilliant way to take and store notes on the go.

9. Study.com

You’ll have to register as a member, but once you sign up, you’ll have unlimited access to a huge selection of videos on various subjects to help you study. The videos are all submitted by professionals in the field and teachers.

10. Cam Scanner

You probably have to take notes on paper. But you don’t have to keep all that paper with you to study. Scan it into your phone with Cam Scanner so you can easily study on the go.

11. Get Revising

Get Revising provides over 183,000 resources (tests, study guides, flashcards, etc.) collected by other students and teachers. Search for the topic you want to study, and then get to browsing.

12. Unstuck

Unstuck is a digital coach that can help you get “unstuck” when you’re experiencing writer’s block or suffering from a general lack of motivation. The app asks you a series of questions to learn why you are stuck and then offers advice to help you move forward.

The Internet is an invaluable resource. It can completely change the way you study and prepare for final exams. But it won’t magically provide you with the roadmap to success. You’ll need to use the right tools for you, and you’ll have to put in the time. With these 12 tools, you’ll be able to have more focused study time so you can be as prepared as possible for that final test.

Featured photo credit: VIKTOR HANACEK/PicJumbo via picjumbo.com

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