What does a library mean to an individual and to a society? I offer the following quotes in response:

“Without libraries, what do we have? We have no past and no future.” –Ray Bradbury

“At the moment that we persuade a child to cross that magic threshold into a library, we change their lives forever, for the better. It’s an enormous force for good.” –Barack Obama

“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better.” –Sidney Sheldon

A public library is an invaluable source of information which is open to all individuals. It encourages and enables the process of learning. Someone can find who they are through the resources in a library and access tools to help them achieve success. The library has the chance to spark imagination and provide a safe place for anyone who needs it. It is a tool which leads to an informed public, covering all of history to current events while also addressing important issues. It is a portal to countless places, both real and fictional. You can travel to new worlds and different times from a library. It is also a community-based sphere. Events happen in a library to bring people together, educate children, entertain adults, and more. The library has no limits to its potential. 

4T’s is proud to partner with the New York Public Library and to be part of all a public library has to offer to those who take advantage of it. Check out past panel discussions that 4T’s has held at the New York Public Library here or see when the next one will take place here. 

-Samantha Phillips

What have been your experiences with the library? Do you feel that the public library system offers all that I described in my post?

Employers are setting new standards in the job application process with the use of personality tests. These tests are typically required online at the beginning of the application process. Their purpose is to help identify a candidate who will be a good fit for the position, the department, and the overall company. This is meant to reduce turnover and lead to happier employees. 

Yet many applicants are dissatisfied with the idea of being written off based on a technical, automated process without the chance to explain who they are in person. Additionally, while the job search process is shortened prematurely for job seekers, it is extended to new lengths for employers. However, many companies have cited that waiting for a more cohesive match will pay off in the long run, making holding off to fill the position worth it. Yet this isn’t the only thing slowing down the search. Employers are becoming more reluctant to raise wages as well as pickier about misalignments between applicants’ skills or education and the demands of the position. The overall formula for workplace success is growing in complexity, while employers are less willing to take chances on applicants who don’t fit the mold.

The personality test trend has come about due to the availability of “powerful data tools and inexpensive online software,” which has led to lower costs and more accurate results. In 2001, 26% of large U.S. employers used pre-hire assessments. By 2013, 57% did. This is making it more difficult, especially for young adults and the long-term unemployed, to get hired.

And the tests are getting more thorough. In the past, companies hoped to simply glean broad personality traits. Now, applicants’ technical abilities, communication skills, and personalities are being assessed in minute detail.

What does this mean for those currently seeking jobs and those who will be applying in the future? While the tests can make mistakes and complicate the application process, they also mean that you will be hired in a position and at an organization where you will lead a happier, longer, more successful career. You will be less likely to quit and to be fired, which is a positive for both parties involved. It seems to me that the best way to prepare is to know yourself and your strengths well, which 4T’s programs are designed to accomplish. Check out 4T’s programs here. And good luck in the job search! 

-Samantha Phillips

What is your reaction to using personality tests in the job application process? Have you had any personal experiences with them?

Sources:
The Wall Street Journal: Today’s Personality Tests Raise the Bar for Job Seekers

After facing a life-threatening condition after a decade of "pseudo-teaching," Ramsey Musallam, a chemistry teacher in California, walked away with 3 rules he decided to use in his future teaching to spark learning, which he shares in the above Ted talk.

Musallam shares a picture of his four year old who is in the stage of constantly asking, ‘Why?,’ as well as a video of his student, Maddie, who went home after one of his lessons and continued to explore the concept covered in class. He juxtaposes these two examples with the issue of youth dropping out of school, whether it’s “the senior who's checked out before the year's even begun or that empty desk in the back of an urban middle school's classroom.”

This teacher attributes the difference between these extremes to the ability and willingness of teachers to engage with their students’ curiosity. He explains, “Questions and curiosity like Maddie's are magnets that draw us towards our teachers, and they transcend all technology or buzzwords in education. But if we place these technologies before student inquiry, we can be robbing ourselves of our greatest tool as teachers: our students' questions.”

Musallam outlines three rules to help instructors reach this goal:

The lecture closes with this last thought: “If we as educators leave behind this simple role as disseminators of content and embrace a new paradigm as cultivators of curiosity and inquiry, we just might bring a little bit more meaning to [students'] school day, and spark their imagination.” 

Oftentimes teachers can get stuck in the routine of their lessons, especially with the recent focus of administration and regulation on teaching to standards. I think Ramsey Musallam’s talk offers some great points about keeping vitality in the classroom in order to make the work of learning a back and forth between student and teacher. This approach will go much further than simply talking at students. I personally would like to see a lot more students like Maddie and kids who want to ask questions, rather than that empty seat in the back of the room. 

-Samantha Phillips

Which school of thought do you agree with and why?

What are the responsibilities of a barber, hairdresser, and cosmetologist? 

Customers visit any one of these businesses for hairstyling or beauty services. This includes hair, face, and scalp treatments. Hair care can range from washing, coloring, cutting, drying, to styling. These positions also entail handling monetary transactions and up-keeping tools. Barbers typically provide service to male customers, additionally offering facial shaving. Hairdressers serve both female and male clients. Oftentimes they make home care recommendations, including promoting products. Cosmetologists provide scalp and facial treatments as well as makeup advice. They may also handle wigs and hairpieces or sell skin care products.  

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median hourly wage was $10.95 for these careers, with a range from $8.11 to $20.39. In 2013, the median hourly wage for hairdressers was $11.12, which demonstrates growth in the profession. The best-paid earned approximately $44,220 annually. The highest paid areas in 2013 were San Francisco and Seattle, while the highest paid sector was the performing arts. Tips are common in this profession.

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include creativity, customer-service, listening, and time-management. If you are the owner of the business, other duties include hiring, supervising, and letting employees go. General business tasks must be completed as well, such as maintaining inventory records, ordering supplies, advertising, and more.

Licenses are required for all three jobs, which means one must attend and graduate from a cosmetology program in a post-secondary vocational school. This program might yield an associate’s degree as well. After graduation, an exam must be passed, which typically involves both a written portion and a practical application portion. High school diplomas are typically required too.

Work Conditions:

Other than working in barbershops or salons, these type of positions could be available in spas, hotels, and resorts. Considerations include being on your feet for long periods of time as well as exposure to chemicals, which is why protective clothing is common. Your hours will depend on if you are self-employed or not. This is often a part-time job unless you are the owner. Evenings and weekends are typical.

-Samantha Phillips

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Barbers, Hairdressers, and Cosmetologists 
Money - U.S. News: Best Social Services Jobs