in my work teaching students english over the last 15 years, they’ve often revealed to me how quickly native english speakers can be to ridicule them.

as native english speakers, we often take for granted just how hard a language like english is to learn, and can be quick to shame those still gaining proficiency. but it doesn’t have to be this way.

the trouble with english

the stakes are high for english language learners of all ages. about 20% of california public school students are english language learners, the highest proportion in the country. universities use exams like the test of english as a foreign language (toefl) to make admissions decisions, and various countries use the international english testing language system (ielts) exam as a component of their immigration process.

generally, my students work incredibly hard to improve their english skills, and research has shown that it takes seven years of full immersion and focused study to be able to function at a high level academically or professionally.

if you’re thinking that seems like a lot of effort, you’d be right. just how hard can english be to learn?

consider the case of “articles” (a, an, the), the most commonly-used english words. if you are a native english speaker, you use these words without thinking. but imagine having to explain the differences between:

• “i ate cake.”
• “i ate a cake.”
• “i ate the cake.”

without “a,” it seems likely that you had a reasonable portion of cake, like a forkful or a slice. but with “a” it seems as though you had the whole cake! with “the,” it seems like you’re referring to a specific cake. it’s common to first use the article “a” when mentioning a noun and then in the very next sentence switch to the definite article “the” to talk about the very same noun:

“my dog got on the table and ate a whole cake. fortunately, the cake was tiny.”

this switch occurs because the cake has been identified; we’re all thinking about the specific cake that the dog gobbled up!

the “pronunciation police” and other challenges for language learners

though language errors can make for good laugh fodder, mistakes can have dire consequences for students who are being evaluated by professors, employers, or people they meet on the street.

it can be scary to communicate in another language. there’s the frustration of being inarticulate, the embarrassment of mispronunciation, and the feeling of being a perpetual outsider.

on the flipside, i have seen the joy my students experience when they can hold their own in english-speaking settings, gain the opportunity to participate in the communities in which they live, and get a chance to see how much they’ve learned about english, another culture, and themselves along the way.

if you’d like to provide constructive feedback to a language learner, but are unsure of how it will be received, ask first! repeated exposure is the fastest way to improvement, and the more we encourage language learners to practice their new skills with us, free from judgment or ridicule, the better the odds they will gain the confidence needed to improve their abilities.

3 ways we can all be more welcoming towards language learners

as an educator, i believe in the power of inclusive communities. and i also believe we can do more to support the english learners among us:

1. resist the urge to judge someone struggling to speak english.
   english learners are going to make mistakes and can have difficulty conveying their intended meaning. this doesn’t mean the person does not care about learning english and it certainly doesn’t mean they are not trying.
2. invite english language learners in your school or community to join you.
   language learners are often isolated, making it much harder to learn english. i always encourage my students to take a risk and socialize, but we as neighbors, classmates, and coworkers can also help by being the first to extend an invitation.
3. try learning another language yourself!
   most importantly, i’d urge you to put yourself in the shoes of a language learner. find out the most common, non-english language spoken in your neighborhood (there are over 100 in sf alone!), take a class, and use your fledgling skills as a (humbling) opportunity to connect with your neighbors.

language learning is much more complex than memorizing words and grammar. beyond a significant intellectual challenge, it requires embracing failure and rejection, making my language learning students some of the most courageous and resilient people i know.

we should all applaud language learners, not mock or discourage them. when cultures and communities not only genuinely welcome newcomers in their midst but also invite their full participation, all are humanized in the experience.

tell us, how was your language learning experience? if you’d like some help, head over to our toefl or ielts blog for free resources!

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hi, i am manikandan venkataramanan. i am from chennai, the smallest of the original big 4 metros of india. it is located in the southern state of tamil nadu. i studied in chettinad vidyashram till class 12 and then ramakrishna mission vivekananda college which is located in the historical heart of chennai, called mylapore.

chennai is unique in the sense that it is an agglomeration of several ancient towns in one city, these towns have a continuous history of at least 2,000 years. mylapore was a major trading city of the pallava dynasty (the ancient greeks called it, ‘meliapore’). the city is dotted with several ancient temples and shrines, with pallava and pre-pallava era temples dedicated to the “three gems” of the hindu pantheon: shiva (kapaleeshwar and marudeeshwar), vishnu (parthasarathy) and shakthi(kalikambal). in fact, the city derives its name from the kalikambal, the goddess also called as chenni amman. it is also the place where st. thomas, the apostle is said to have visited last in india and his tomb is still present at a place called st. thomas mount.

my story

my aim was to excel in academics, get a good job, save and return to the village of my ancestors, a place with even more rich history and heritage than chennai, called as kumbakonam, the spiritual heart of the chola empire, that had massive trade and cultural links with practically all of south east asia.

i was brought up in a family that placed a premium on the acquisition of knowledge. as a result, i developed an insatiable thirst for knowledge and built my own library spanning a variety of subjects both physical and virtual. i was also determined to excel in all academic pursuits: i stood at the top of my school throughout my school years and i dreamt of topping the country one day, which i did in my class 12. later, i joined college and strove to repeat my success there. as a result, i stood college first in all six semesters and received the “best student award”.

and then it happened, after graduating from viveka, i decided to pursue a professional course that is well-respected in india and that would help me establish an entity on my own in my village when i returned. my aim was to provide consulting and advisory for traditional industries (like sculpture making and brassware manufacture) that are on the wane, thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the upcoming generation.

unfortunately, a large section of our people had forgotten to appreciate the great intrinsic values of our traditional industries, which have been part and parcel of our cultural ecosystem for thousands of years. i wanted to help these forgotten industries to build and sharpen their distinctive competitive advantage. i was also determined to help promote and provide consulting for agro based industries which is again sacrificed for want of substantial commercial gains. it was my hope to create wealth and value in the villages so that people do not abandon their traditional vocations and become poor immigrants in their own country as outsiders.

this professional course, while academically demanding and having a duration of 5 years to complete, had only 5 out of 100 students passing their exams (much worse for tamil nadu where it is only 1 in 100)! despite the intense academic demands of the course, i managed to pass all my classes in a single attempt. but i didn’t pass the last exam. as you will appreciate, this is a rude shocker (a ‘black swan’) to anyone who has been a consistent topper in any stream of knowledge.

i was bruised badly on multiple fronts. i had to make a lot of sacrifices and give up up on all my other interests, like extensive reading of a variety of literature on disparate topics as well as my occasional forays into musical instruments. i also had a couple of eccentric hobbies (at least considered to be eccentric here) like visiting railway loco, rolling stock workshops, railway museums, and piloting professional-grade aircrafts on a desktop flight simulator. all these hobbies vanished without any results and that hurt me. besides, the unfortunate debacle came close to having a pernicious effect on my career aspirations and in the organization that i was working for.

magoosh and the turning point

a phoenix-like resurgence and indomitable spirit triggered me to do some introspection and take an unbiased look at the turn of events, at which point in time i realized that what looked like an insurmountable challenge was actually a ‘billion dollar’ opportunity to reinvent myself and broaden my horizons to look at international academic opportunities that are more challenging and rewarding.

at this juncture, it dawned on me that being a ‘bean counter’ pursuing that professional course for so long without commensurate reward, had sapped all my energy and enthusiasm. therefore, i decided to pursue a masters in finance. i was also determined to obtain a different recognized qualification from a world-renowned institute to make up for the “lost years”.

time management was the key. i quit my job and decided to reignite. the stakes were high. i wanted a masters from a reputable university at a reasonable cost. indians do not generally have a consensus on anything. international education is an exception to this and almost everyone — from executives to students, from friends to relatives — agreed that despite the cost, us education was the best option. i concurred. i studied about the entry requirements for post-graduate courses and found out about gre and toefl. while i was researching the exams, i came across a magoosh post on the revised gre structure as well as a couple of blogs by the gre experts (chris and mike). i was quite impressed and decided to opt for a trial.

the three month study plan suggested by them was invaluable to me. everyday, i used to do 10-15 problems (sometimes even more) using the built in timer and saw the time it took me to solve problems. after completing a batch, i analyzed where i made mistakes and saw the related videos below each problem. the videos by mike mc garry were brilliant with beautiful explanations as well as time saving tips. slowly, i built up the speed for solving problems. sometimes, i would see the relevant lessons from the lessons section if i had a doubt in any concepts. i didn’t go lesson-wise or question-structure-wise — instead, i checked all the lessons and all question structures to create a balanced set of topics and question types.

in the same vein, i did 10-15 questions per day on the verbal part (covering all topics and all the question types) and i watched the equally brilliant answer videos by chris. so, each day i would have 20 to 30 questions overall. i feel that students sometimes forget the cardinal rule: to score a 320+ on the gre, it is important to have a balanced score in both quant and verbal. many students make the mistake of concentrating on one or the other. in addition, i would also make it a habit of reading the blog posts on quant and verbal. these are immensely intuitive and help students gain a lot of insights as well as time saving tips.

finally, i took two practice tests. these are extremely important as it simulates the real test both in time and difficulty (just like how flight sims are important for pilot training!). i feel that the test has to be taken with the essay section. gre is especially devious in that our initial state of mind and the better part of our cognitive abilities go toward the essay first. we get part ii math or verbal when we are most exhausted at the end of the test session. therefore, one has to simulate the ordeal of the full four hours to prepare our mental energies for handling the quant or verbal at the end of the test session.

i have to admit that magoosh made this test preparation a thoroughly enjoyable experience, never once did i feel tired preparing for verbal or quant. the way the lessons were taught, and problems explained, were breathtakingly innovative. whenever, i had any queries, they responded instantly and in a quite friendly manner. i also received general tips and stress busters as the exam neared as well as specific tips on improving my scores. i got the impression that the staff was really interested in my academic uplifting — here was a test provider that combined the emotional quotient of emphatic listening with the imparting of the usual iq. the differentiator in magoosh is not just the approachable and friendly faculty but also the friendly and helpful staff who have truly made it an extremely customer-centric (or student-centric) experience.

life is a parabola and magoosh has served as a catalyst for my turning point, i scored very high marks on the gre and proved my detractors wrong. i am further pleased to share with all of you that i also studied for the toefl with magoosh and was able to score equally high. lastly, my dream of obtaining a professional qualification has also been fulfilled, having completed an american professional qualification that is technical and state-of-the-art.

my advice to other students

my suggestion to other students is to never give up despite failures, despite loss of time and age. it is always better late than never and no age is too old to be competitive, provided we think that we can succeed and learn. failures provide a personal turnaround in one’s life, provided we doggedly pursue our goals with confidence and determination.

the post “test prep in the life of an indian student” (people of magoosh) appeared first on magoosh 2022年足球世界杯举办地.

my name is raul robalino and i am from ecuador, south america. i live in the fascinating city of guayaquil which has plenty of touristic places.

my story

mathematics and physics have been my strong points since the beginning of my education. my interest in mathematics was also increased by my father who is an industrial engineer. thanks to his support and encouragement, i took part in some mathematical competitions. in physics, i increased my understanding studying supplementary books. however, how could these two branches be combined to deal with real-life situations? civil engineering was the answer. now, i am a civil engineer and i work as a structural designer in the department of public works for my city.

i had to study for two tough tests, toefl and gre, because i wanted to pursue a master degree in the united states where civil engineering has reached new heights of knowledge, specifically in the structural engineering field. moreover, i wanted to pursue a master´s program in the structural engineering concentration in the hopes of helping to mitigate the damage caused by earthquakes and prevent unexpected consequences. as a non-native english speaker, meeting the requisites of american universities was no easy task; but if i wanted to further my career, i had to ace these tests. furthermore, critical thinking and test taking skills were a great concern before my preparation.

before i began to study i wandered into the internet and was overwhelmed by the many resources and websites a student in my position could find. it is quite easy to find the wrong material and lose either time or money. after some thorough research, i decided to study with magoosh because of the timed conditions and mock tests the website provides.

standardized tests are tricky because of the time factor and i encourage everybody to take that into crucial account; one minute per question is easily achievable after some time practicing. test takers must put more effort into the questions they blunder, especially those related to probability, counting and data analysis because it is here where students tend to lose marks. as an engineer, i put most of my energy into the quantitative section; however, i kept practicing with the vocabulary builder application from magoosh in my free time, which was more than enough to get a decent score in the verbal section. for the sake of the truth, i would like to say that i complemented the user friendly gre-platform of magoosh with manhattan prep series and its six mock tests. as a consequence, i managed to score quite well in all the sections of the test.

a master’s degree will definitely be a major step towards my long term goals which include a phd, teaching, and a consulting career. more importantly, i can serve my country in a practical way because it will provide me with knowledge and resources to investigate and contribute to the understanding of various physical phenomena encountered in civil engineering.

working and studying for standardized tests at the same time may be daunting for many people and i was not the exception. just keep in mind that if someone else could do it, you can do it as well. read inspirational articles, keep in touch with people with similar dreams and wherever you are, keep practicing. at the end, all your effort will pay off; and as in my case i am going from the state university of guayaquil to the birthplace of the internet, ucla!

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my name is colette van dyke and i am a peace corps volunteer in my second year in togo, west africa. i grew up in san juan capistrano, california and went to school at the university of california, los angeles. after college, i stayed in los angeles and worked at a law firm for a year. it was during that first year out of college that i realized how trapped and out of place i felt. i wasn’t so sure that law school and the “law track” were for me anymore. i was taking all the steps to become a lawyer, but deep down i knew something was off — i knew this wasn’t the path for me. i was suffocating amidst all the monotony of a corporate structure, and i needed to get out. i decided to take a leap and pursue what had been a goal in my life ever since my childhood: to become a peace corps volunteer and completely immerse myself in a foreign and life-altering experience.

my story

when i was a child, my parents would drop my sisters and me off at our grandmother’s house over summer vacation. it was during those warm months that i was able to escape into a world of large colored maps that extended for miles, and encyclopedias with information and pictures on anything from the inner workings of a sail ship to the physiology of a gazelle. it was during these magical moments that i was able to let my mind wander and explore any part of the world all from the comforts of my grandmother’s library. i was an adventurer, an explorer, and i would run around the house taking on different characters and traveling through various parts of the world. one day, i ran in to a set of strange, exotic wooden necklaces and bracelets tucked away in a shoebox. i came to learn that these were pieces of west africa my grandmother brought back with her when she was a peace corps volunteer in niger. she would recount stories of how she helped build a school for the blind, and how she taught english to a classroom of 50+ nigerian students outside amidst the cotton fields. it was her benevolent and adventurous spirit that planted a seed in my head that maybe i, too, could one day help out individuals who i might have nothing in common with except for our humanity.

all of these memories came back to me as i sat in my law office job robotically typing away on my computer. i wondered what the 10-year old version of myself would say if they could see me now. i decided to put a stop to it all. i decided to satisfy my relentless spirit and become a peace corps volunteer. today, i proudly represent the united states of america through my service in a village called lavié on the southwest border of togo, just bordering ghana. i am working on improving the water quality and sanitation of their water system and collaborating with a local farmer’s group on food security issues so that community members can access nutritious foods all year round. i would like to build off of my peace corps experience by entering a graduate study program in international relations when my time here is over.

with magoosh, i am able to study at my own pace and follow the study plan day by day, wherever i may have a strong internet connection. when i am in my village, i typically set aside a block of 2 hours in the morning to complete my lessons and practice problems for the day. while this involves hiking up a mountain, i think i can argue that i have the best and most peaceful study spot in the world.

i love how magoosh emphasizes self-study and improvement through self-awareness. in other words, knowing yourself and gauging where you are weakest and targeting those areas. i think this theme generally applies to life as well. the ability to evaluate where you are going right or wrong in your life, without the noise of other’s opinions, can make all the difference. by opting out of my busy and socially connected world in america, i have found the clarity and direction i want to go with my life, and i know this is just the start of many adventures to come. although studying for the gre in a developing country comes with its own set of challenges, the fulfillment and gratification from this experience have all been absolutely worth it.

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happy 2014!

finding a job in 2014 is a lot more fun than it used to be. nowadays, there are dozens of avenues you can take to get the job of your dreams. no more traveling from place to place with a stack of resumes in hand, hoping it falls into the hands of the hiring manager. with social media, the application process is much simpler. from searching for a job to researching a potential fit, all can be done from the comfort of your computer. below are 5 easy ways social media can help the application process.

1. find the job

   looking for the right job for you can be tough. gone are the days opening the ‘want’ ads and circling the job listings that appeal to you. today, employers list open positions on their website where you can also apply right away online. this can be a cumbersome task if you’re going from site to site and checking career openings. luckily, there are dozens of sites dedicated to helping you find job openings that fit your skills. you also no longer need a hard resume as your experience can be put on the web for potential employers to see. the largest of these strategic social networking sites is linkedin. when you create an account and upload your resume and job history, you can begin to navigate the largest professional social network out there. companies who are hiring often post their open positions on linkedin, hoping to find the perfect fit for business. moreover, linkedin allows you to stay connected with peers in your industry in case they are aware of open positions or their company is hiring. but make sure you fill out your linkedin profile completely, as having a robust profile will make you very enticing to headhunters. if you are detailed enough, you could be receiving job offers without even looking.

   if you’re not active on linkedin, 1) you should be! and 2) there are other options to finding a job using social networks. recruiters and hr personnel have other ways to list openings to ensure they are reaching a vast talent pool. many business openings are found on social networks by using hashtags or specific key phrases. using a social media monitoring tool like viralheat allows job seekers to track hashtags and phrases like: #hiring, #job, ‘employment opportunity’ or other keywords and phrases relating to your specific industry.

2. research the job

   after you’ve found a job that you like, it’s best to be informed about the company. that means not only knowing about the product, but also the company culture. what does the company do? how does the company interact with its employees? an inviting and lively company culture attracts more applicants than a company with no culture.

   a great way to see how a company operates is through their social networks. find the company’s twitter and facebook profiles to learn more about the business, the kind of messages they send to their audiences, and what the audiences are saying about the brand. take a look at its website and read its blog to see what issue areas the business is focused on. does the business have an instagram account? take a look through the photos and videos to get a great view into company events and lifestyle.

3. reach out

   now that you found the company’s social presence, don’t be a lurker. interact with the content the company is publishing. like, comment, retweet, and favorite interesting posts. you will be noticed. the company’s team is watching and will take notice of a positive response on their social networks. not only will this please people at the company, but it will also show you are interested and willing to go the extra mile for the job. being a positive influence on the company before you even walk into the interview can help you secure the interview, and maybe even the position.

4. sift through the bad ones

   if you’re actively searching for a job, you know how many job positions are open. at times, you’ve already gone through pages of listings and submitted tons of applications. but along with the high number of resumes you’ve sent out, a handful are bound to fall into the hands of a bad business. don’t be left uninformed about the companies you’ve applied for – a job that may look nice at first glance could, in reality, be a nightmare. this nightmare could manifest in a number of ways: bad management, terrible work hours, or mistreatment of employees.

   in your research of the company, it’s best practice to take a look at what other people are saying about the business. there are many sites out there that are dedicated (glassdoor, for example) to providing as much information into a company as possible, including reviews. you can learn from others who have first hand accounts about company life, work ethic, and more. take into consideration all of the feedback (positive and negative) a company has received to see if the business still appeals to you. chances are if there is an overwhelming majority of either positive or negative reviews, your job experience with that company will follow a similar pattern.

5. reach out for references and referrals

   one of social media’s biggest benefits is the ability to stay in touch with people. keeping in touch with former colleagues and peers is a major benefit when you’re in the job hunt. contact your former coworkers through facebook, twitter, and linkedin and ask them to be references for you. you can also ask them if they are aware of any open positions that fit you. these are people who have worked with you directly so you know they can accurately speak to your work ethic and capabilities. if you’re on linkedin, ask former supervisors, managers, and colleagues to endorse your skills and write you a review so when potential employers look up your profile, they get an accurate glimpse into your abilities.

   take these 5 tips into consideration when you’re in the job hunt. as all job seekers know, job hunting is a full-time job in itself. using social media, however, can take some of the pain away. your ideal job is out there so take these tips and go find it.

   this guest post was written by jeff anaya. jeff is part of the marketing team with viralheat, the social media marketing suite for business. when he’s not talking, writing, or researching about the growing world of social media marketing, you can find him quoting movies from the 90s, podcasting at a pirate radio station in san francisco’s mission district, or planning a road trip. you can tweet him at @jeffanaya, add him to your google+ circle, or email him at anaya@viralheat.com.

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ongoing research, which tracks the migration of students to online higher education in the united states, continues to show that there is a steadily growing population of individuals enrolling in this new form of study. with more and more students seeing the benefits in online education, it’s no wonder there is a tremendous push for schools to increase their online program offerings. in addition, we now see several colleges and universities working to be the brand name in online higher education.

there is no denying the seemingly many benefits of an online education, particularly for adults and working professionals looking for career advancement through a graduate degree while juggling a myriad of other responsibilities. online education is convenient, with no travel time to and from class, and enables flexible scheduling and easy anytime access to instructors via email. in addition, online classes provide greater student diversity in class with individuals from potentially all over the world enrolled. finally, with many of the course materials and documents also hosted online, and no traveling costs, this form of education appears to be the most cost effective for some students.

in a time when we are growing increasingly connected to the world through our computers and handheld devices, and looking for quicker solutions to all of our challenges through technological advancements, it makes sense that there is both a significant demand for and supply of online education. it seems to be the perfect solution.

interestingly, with higher education institutions flocking to increase programs of online study, university faculty are not always wholeheartedly on board with the change. “while the percentage of schools wading into the deep end of virtual education by offering entire programs online has nearly doubled in the last decade, faculty members on the whole have grown more resistant to virtual instruction” argued a 2013 u.s. news article.

while some number of faculty appear to be responding to a growing concern that online education will eventually eliminate – or at least significantly decrease – the need for their profession, others clearly believe that an online education is inferior to traditional classroom learning. with several disadvantages of online education, including the concern of future employers over the validity of an online degree, the inability of students to communicate face-to-face with faculty, the lack of student discipline, and poor retention rates, there are legitimate concerns to the online learning shift.

as with choosing a traditional college or university to attend, thorough research should be conducted into a particular online program prior to enrolling. many faculty members acknowledge that not all programs are created equally and there are many outstanding online programs that could be considered superior to in classroom learning.

this article was written by kerry auge and edited by laura morrison, the content manager of gradschools.com. if you want to learn more about online programs, click right here.

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so you landed an interview for a job in social media? that’s great! congratulations on taking the first step towards a new, exciting, and promising job filled with benefits and normal hours (hopefully). you will be neck deep in internet trends, reading and writing till the day is done, creating compelling content, and building your companies corporate image. huzzah! but, before you start uncorking the champagne (you drunkard), here are some things to consider before walking into the interview.

1. don’t get ahead of yourself.you don’t have the job until you sign the papers. that being said, remember to focus on the interview. don’t think about what you need to do once you get the job – you don’t have it yet. put your efforts into giving a good, memorable interview that shows why they absolutely need to hire you.also, don’t stop looking for other jobs! avoid putting all your eggs in one basket because it’s better to have many options to choose from if this one doesn’t work out.

1. play nice.you’re interviewing for a job in social media… a professional job in social media. so before you go in for the talk, make sure that all of your social presences are clean. that means no offensive tweets, no inflammatory posts, and lay off the swearing. do you have any posts that have misspelled or grammatically incorrect language? destroy them.a job in social often requires you to promote from your personal accounts so it’s best to have a public profile. but if the thought of your accounts being public make you squirm, consider making a professional account.
2. look good.i’m sure you look great all the time. but when it comes to interviews, it pays to dress to impress. no t-shirts with cartoons on them! dress codes change depending on where you are interviewing, but err on the side of caution. whether it’s a small, up-and-coming start-up full of employees in jeans and t-shirts, or a corporate, suit-and-tie conglomerate with reach across the globe, your taste in clothing will never be (initially) questioned if you’re dressed nicely. ladies, make sure your hair is smooth and your makeup minimal. and for the fellas, don’t forget to clean up that 5 o’clock shadow.

1. be qualified.many times you may not be a 100% perfect fit for a job, but don’t worry – that’s not always a deal breaker. as a newcomer to this industry, you’re expected to learn and grow with your role. but you do need to be knowledgeable in the space and about the company and its mission and objectives. take time to study the list of requirements/preferred qualifications. review which skills you do and do not possess, be prepared to talk about how you will be an asset to the company. if the job requires an understanding of a certain program you don’t know, (in social media that probably means a third-party app like hootsuite or viralheat) start a free trial version and practice. you never know what they’ll ask you about your skill set so it’s best to be prepared.
2. have samples.a job in social media requires a mix of skills. the ideal candidate is a great writer, creative thinker, and amazing multi-tasker. most employers will ask for samples of creative work that you have done to get an idea of your style and to gauge if you’re a good fit for the role. examples can range from blog posts and social platforms you have managed, to audio and video products. having quality examples of your work is crucial to showing that you’re the right one for the job.
3. know the business.do your research! it’s always good to know what the business you’re interviewing with actually does. look past the jargon. don’t just memorize a tag line – dig a little deeper and try to really understand what the company’s mission and objective is. take a look at their website and their social presences to get a feel for the company. if they sell a consumer product, try to find it in a store. show them that you know what the business does so you can speak on how you will contribute as a member of the team.

1. be confident.it’s okay to feel nervous, but remember that the interviewer is just a person on the other side of a desk. he or she is looking for someone that is both qualified and someone that they can tolerate on a day-to-day basis. so show some personality and don’t be afraid. remember this is a job in social media – so they’ll only like you more if you’re engaging and friendly.

1. draw from your experiences.because you don’t have a huge corporate resume with fancy numbers and data, you will have to give a lot of anecdotal evidence about why you’re a good fit. so have some good stories ready when they ask you questions. there are a few questions that you can expect to hear at a first interview: ‘tell me a time when you showed leadership at your job,’ ‘tell me a particularly hard problem and how you went about solving it’ or ‘tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty for someone’. be honest and use examples that can be applicable to a potential situation in the role you’re applying for.

1. don’t bs.seriously. interviewers can smell bs. although this isn’t a hard and fast rule and some topics can be glossed over, i suggest being prepared. if you don’t have an answer, say you need to think it over and get back to them.they may ask cliché, vague questions like, ‘what’s your greatest weakness?’ don’t say things like ‘i am a perfectionist’ or ‘sometimes i care too much.’ interviewers have heard it too many times before. be honest, but not too honest. you don’t want to say ‘i struggle with working in the morning.’ try to spin your answers to be positive without sounding silly. try ‘i take too much time trying to get something right’ or ‘i pay too much attention to detail when i should seek further guidance.’ honest answers are respected more than obviously fabricated replies.

1. have questions ready.at the end of the interview, they’ll run out of talking points and ask if you have any questions. this is a good place to show initiative and interest in the company. ask questions about the job and company culture. what responsibilities will you be in charge of on a day-to-day basis? will you be working with a team? will you have to learn any special skills or programs? what does he or she like most about the company? what has he or she learned while at this company? questions show interest, and you definitely want to show them you’re interested.with these tips you can walk into that interview feeling ready. ultimately, remember that you’re awesome. you can do it!this guest post was written by jeff anaya. jeff is part of the marketing team with viralheat, the social media marketing suite for business. when he’s not talking, writing, or researching about the growing world of social media marketing, you can find him quoting movies from the 90s, podcasting at a pirate radio station in san francisco’s mission district, or planning a road trip. you can tweet him at @jeffanaya, add him to your google+ circle, or email him at anaya@viralheat.com.

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