Read a very interesting article today published by the British Psychology Society about effective habits for studying and retaining  information. Some new technique and some old favorites were listed. Rather than repeating the article al over again, I’ve just done a quick summary and provided a quick link back to the original article if you’d like to have a proper read. So the 9 effective study habits they found are as follows:

1. Having a growth Mindset – It supposedly helps if you believe that your intelligence can grow just like another aspect.
2. A good night sleep
3. Not beating your self up over procrastinating
   
4. Test your self – Rather than rereading the same information over again,  studies have shown that testing your self is a better use of this time.
5. Pace yourself -  yeah yeah know this one . Studying information in periodic intervals gives you the opportunity to retain more than doing a cram session.
6. Real life examples may not work – This was a new one to me . I’ve always tried to think of examples to help me remember stuff but supposedly, it doesn’t work. Go figure.
7. Take Naps – Short naps, even as short as 10 mins helps reduce fatigue.
8. Get handout – Get the information before hand. Asking for the presentation or lecture notes before the day helps you focus on the speaker rather than busily taking notes.
9. Self Belief – Those who held the self belief that the were good problem solvers on average did better.

I know some of this information is obvious but i still thought some of this stuff was really interesting.  The people at BCP do some really good work so if you want the full article check it out using this link below:

BPS Research Digest: 9 evidence-based study tips.

Here are some interview questions worth preparing for and i’ll try and keep them updated.

1. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.

2. Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.

3. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

4.  Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.

5.  Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone’s opinion.

6. Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.

7. Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.

8. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

9.Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.

10. Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.

11. What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.

12. Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).

13.  Tell me about a difficult decision you’ve made in the last year.

14.  Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.

15.  Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.

16. Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.

17. Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.

18. Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.

19. Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.

20. Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.

21. Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.

22) Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.

22) Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.

23)Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).

Additional resources:

An Audio Excerp from the book

If you want to buy the book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/0684858398/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282660746&sr=1-1

The most common response is to get your CV updated and start the job hunt. If money pressures are a big issue in your life, this may be the best thing but if you have some time before the money worries kick in starting a new job may not be the best thing for your. I would agrue that the best thing to do would be to use this time to evaluate the things that are important to you in a career.

If you are like most “people”, you choose to study a subject that sounded right or your friends did, started a career path and before you know it you’ve lost 10 years of your life and don’t really understand how to got to this point.

I know losing a job is not the best situation but what it does give you is the time to reassess the thing that are important to you in your career and life.

Before I left my previous employer, I had a chance to use an online tool created by a company called Career Innovations that helped assess your goals and capabilities. I found the process of  defining what was important to me very liberating and gave me a sense of direction. I have found a version of this at the Unilever website and would recommend that people have a go. Just to be clear, I am not attached in anyway to Unilever of Career innovation in any way.

Link to Personel Evaluation Toolkit

This is my first blog for the site and would greatly appreciate your comments and thoughts.