Three Obsolete Sections You Should Never Put On Top Of Your Resume

 

Getting the job that you’ve been eyeing for is all about making a good impression to your prospective employer. What you have written at the very top of your resume matters most. It is important organize this job application document so that it draws attention from the hiring manager. Unfortunately, many job seekers don’t use this part to their best advantage.                                                 

One of the biggest mistakes job applicants make is starting their resume with long, boring, and self-important introductions.

According to CNBC Make It, below are three outdated resume techniques that no longer effective with hiring managers:

1.    Summary Statements

The responsibilities and accomplishments enumerated in the job history section of your resume should already show what you can offer the company. So, there’s no need to magnify it with a long introduction.

2.    Objective Statements

This does not provide any new to helpful information. What’s the point of emphasizing the obvious fact that you’re interested in the position?

3.    What you’re looking for in a job

Although you are poach-worthy name in the industry, explaining what you want in a job makes you appear as an amateur. Remember, your goal is to convince how you can help the company, not the other way around.

The most effective way to persuade employers to read your whole resume is to begin with one sentence that broadly references your background and at least a couple of strongest skills.

The format is pretty simple:

[TITLE] with [X] years of experience in [X] and [X].

Then, after that, insert a column of six to eight more specific skills that are measurable and can be validated in the job experience section. This help recruiters to quickly scan your abilities and start ticking off the boxes of what they are looking for in an applicant.

For the top section, experts recommend including mostly hard skills. Choosing a candidate who has enough knowledge to do the job without extensive training is a top priority for hiring managers. Well, soft skills are essential, but there will be chance to talk about it in the body of your resume.

Take note, you have limited amount of space on your resume, and you want everything to put there serve a purpose. Otherwise, you might lose your chances of qualifying for an interview to someone who is equally qualified.

 

Best Camping Sites Near Metro Manila

Time flies really fast. My 15-year old daughter is super excited for her first-ever overnight trip without us. She’ll be travelling somewhere in South Luzon with her friend, the only daughter of my husband’s cousin.  At first we are hesitant to allow her to join. But then we thought this might be her much-needed break with more than 2 years stucked in the four corners of our home. And all of them in the group are already vaccinated against Covid-19. So we finally said yes to her early summer vacay.

Having said that, I was wondering if we could go on a beach trip or camping this summer. We used to go on out-of-town trips once or twice a year, during summer before the pandemic changed our lives. Since I’m checking out possible places we could explore this summer, I want to share them with you.

Let’s start with the best camping sites near Metro Manila:

Anawangin Cove (San Antonio, Zambales)

I’ve been to Anawangin few years ago, together with my officemates. It was my of the memorable and most relaxing trip. I wanna go back, this time with my family.

San Antonio has many beautiful coves where tourists enjoy camping and beach bumming. One of those is the Anawangin Cove. The shores are covered with fine, gray sand and the water are clear blue – perfect from swimming and snorkeling.

     credit: zenrooms.com

With the campsite surrounded with tall agoho trees and amazing mountain landscapes, you’ll get to experience the most tranquil getaway ever!

Pansacola Beach (Cagbalete Island, Mauban, Quezon)

My daughter and went here, again with my colleagues. Located in a quaint, small town in Mauban, Quezon, Cagbalete Island is a home for a number of camping sites with accomodations such as nipa huts and lofts. We stayed in Pansacola Beach.

that’s me and Yasmin
 
You could reach Mauban, Quezon Province with three to four hours from Manila, while the bangka ride going to Cagbalete is only 45 minutes. 
 
When it’s low-tide, the clear blue water is transformed into a massve expanse of sand, just perfect for playing beach volleyball and other games with your friends or family. At night, you’ll fall in love with the wide blanket of stars on the clear sky. 
 

Hundred Islands National Park (Alaminos, Pangasinan)

  credit: zenrooms.com
I’ve been here once, during a side trip from an out-of-town training several years ago. Unfortunately, we did the island hopping in the afternoon and we have to go back our resort before nighttime. 
 
Hundred Islands is one of the country’s best tourist destinations. With more than a hundred islands and islers, you have a lot of choices for island hopping, swimming, and snorkeling. If you opt to spend the night, you can pits your tent in some of the islands such as Governor’s Island, Marcos Island, and Children’s Island. 
 

BLOC Camp Site (Laguna)

  credit: zenrooms.com
I want to experience camping here!
If you love mountains and lakes more than beaches and the sea, the BLOC Camp Site is for you. In just few hours drive from Metro Manila, you’ll have access to this glamping site and other activities like swimming and paddle boarding.

San Rafael River Adventure (Bulacan)

credit: San Rafael River Adventure website
Experience serene glamping and water adventure at San Rafael River Adventure. You don’t have to travel too far to enjoy a laid-back, relaxing weekend.
The resort’s amenities inclue private glass houses, private pool and garden which is also perfect for hosting memorable events such as weddings and birthdays.

Free Korean Language and Culture Classes for Filipinos

If there’s one foreign language I want to study, it is definitely Hangeul, the official language of South Korea. Recently, one of my blogger friends tagged me along to an online Korean class. I instantly said yes and proceed with the registration.

It is true that many Filipinos want to learn Hangeul. It’s because of our fascination with K-pop and K-drama. Some also study for employment. Passing the Test of Proficiency in Korean or TOPIK is one of the requirements before getting a job in South Korea.

Korean language classes are typically done in English. But during the pandemic Mr. Joshua Cho and his team decided to do it in Tagalog to make Korean classes easy and fun for Filipinos. He is a native Korean but Pinoy at heart. He started Korean Classes With Joshua Cho in September 2020. Since then, his team helped a lot of Filipinos learn Korean – for free.

I am currently enrolled in KCWJC Batch 7. It’s a three-month full course, by the way. And tomorrow will be our beginners’ class graduation day. Before writing this post, I was immersed  in reviewing my notes and watching replays of  our previous lessons. I’m still having a hard time reading and writing the basics, but I am proud to say, that I can now write my name in Hangeul. I can introduce myself in Korean, too. I am excited for the upcoming advanced classes. I hope to learn more…

If you are interested joining their free classes, look for their page on Facebook and explore ways to join. You may not able to join this batch but I’m pretty sure there will be another after this.

 

 

 

5 Affordable Air Fryers and Why You Should Buy One

 

Achieve a hassle-free meal preparation and get your very own air fryer. If you are craving  for delicious fried dishes like french fries, chicken wings, steaks and more, this dependable kitchen appliance offer a healthier alternative. No need to worry about consuming deep-fried food that increasing your cholesterol level afterwards.

Actually, we recently got one and the busy momma in me is really loving whipping up dishes for my family. 

Air fryers have become increasingly popular nowadays. You can see it Tiktok, Youtube and other social media posted, in trending cooking tutorial videos, by your fave celebrities and influencers. So, if you want to give it a try, check out these affordable air fryers that you can buy. 

Technik TAF42BN 4.2 Liters, 4 Functions Air Fryer 

This 4.2 liter air fryer has a 4-in-1 cooking function – fry, bake, grill and roast. Snag this high quality and enegrgy efficient kitchnen diva for just PHP 3,098 .

Hanabishi HAFRYER32 

This red Hanabishi air fryer is one of the smallest model in our list, with only 3.2 capacity. Its features include Thermal fuse protection, stainless steel heatig and convection fan, 30 minutes times, and 100-200 degreess Temp control.  
Buy now at PHP 3,398

Dowell AF-251



The Dowel AF-251 is 2.5 liters, fits up to 1.2 kg of food. Due to its small size, this units has also a smaller wattage, (1350 watts).  I love the color! 
Buy now for PHP3,498


Hanabishi HAFRYER-70

The Hanabishi HAFRYER-70 is a 7-liter heavy duty air fryer, ideal for making dishes for large group or family. Plus, you don’t have to worry where to put this air fryer because of its non-slip base. 
Buy now for PHP4,398

Kyowa Digital Air Fryer, 7.0 Liter

Its Digital LED display makes cooking smart and easy. Kyowa digital air fryer (KW-3832) features 7 Pre-Set Modes – choose between french fries, chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, cake, and fish cooking modes. 
Buy now for PHP4,800


There you go, five  of the most budget-friendly air fryers that you can buy today. Take your pick, though there many more others available in the market if your opt of other brands. 

Endemic Begonia Species Found in Palawan

 

    Manila Bulletin


The Philippine flora’s rich biodiversity is again shown in the discovery of another begonia species in Palawan. 


A team of researchers found two species of Begonia Begonia Tandikan and Begonia obscuribracteata — in an unexplored area of Central Palawan. The preservation of these species and their habitats is critical. The said species are found in unprotected sites, making them a highly possible target for poaching. 


According to the authors who published the discovery, begonias are one of the fastest-growing genus and the sixth-largest genus in the world of plants. 


Begonia Tandikan

Begonia Tandikan was first discovered in the Balsahan River in Puerto Princesa. It thrives all year round because of its habitat’s high humidity and shade coming from the forest. Its name was coined after the Palawan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis) or “tandikan,” a Philippine endemic bird with beautiful feathers that look like the foliage of Begonia.


Begonia obscuribracteata


Begonia obscuribracteata is another addition to the Palawan Begonias found in an isolated riverine area of Dumaran. This species can be easily identified due to its matted circular leaves and six ovary wings, twice the usual number seen in most Philippine Begonias.


About the researchers 


The begonias were discovered with the assistance of the Palawan State University and the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative (PTI). PTI is a non-profit, independent scientific organization focused on advancing the discovery and identification of plant and animal species in the Philippines. 


Yu Pin Ang, Lea Magarce-Camangeg, and William Cabanillas comprise the team working on this research.

I Got My Annual Dose of Flu Vaccine Today

 

I got my flu vaccine this morning. This is just one of our benefits as city government employees.  We are also given free flu and pneumonia shots last year. Aside from that, we have a monthly supply of vitamins and supplements to boost our immune system. I am already fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.These are really essential nowadays as we continue our battle against coronavirus. 
What are the benefits of getting a flu vaccine? Of course, it can prevent us from getting sick with flu. According to cdc.gov, flu vaccination has been shown in many studies to reduce severity of illness among people who are vaccinated but still get sick. Still, the vaccine helps us lower the risk of hospital admission due to flu. That’s the reason why I did not hesitate to avail of this, getting hospitalized is much difficult right now, because of the COVID-pandemic.
My husband also got his vaccine today. We will  schedule the same for the kids – will inquire with their pedia regarding this. 

What Went Wrong: Facebook Global Glitch

 

Slow Internet connection. That’s what I’ve thought about the issues in using FB messenger yesterday. I was chatting with a friend in afternoon when it suddenly acted weird. I can’t scroll down to see the latest messages she sent. Then later in the evening Facebook feed won’t load properly. 

It was only this morning when I learned about the global outage that hit Facebook along with other messaging / social networking Apps like WhatsApp, and Instagram. What happened? It was reported that at around 11:45 am Eastern Time on Monday, October 4, users around the world reported the glitches in accessing Facebook apps including Instagram, WhatApp, Messengers, and Facebook itself on the outage-tracking websited called Downdetector

The said Apps are back online at 6am PHT today. It was a quite long ordeal especially for those who are active social media users. Thankfully, the geeks behind the troubleshooting fixed the bugs already. 

Source: businessinsider.com

Gardening: Philodendron Serratum

 It’s been a while since my last post about gardening. At the heights of pandemic last year, many people became plantitos and plantitas. Personally, I have been caring for plants in my small window garden even before the rising hype of gardening happened. 

One of my favorite houseplants are philodendrons varieties. Just like this Philodendron Serratum:

Such a beauty, isn’t it? 

Caring for this particular houseplant is very easy. It can thrive with bright, indirect sunlight and right amount of water – allow the top soil to dry out between watering . You might wonder why the featured plant is indoor. That is one of the advantages of collecting Philodendrons…Unlike most houseplants, they do not experience as much stress when moving from outdoor settings (from gardeningknowhow).

More about my houseplants collection in the next posts. See yah! 

Blended Learning Year 2

 We are now on the second week of classes for this school year. Yasmin is in Grade 10 while Yohan is already in Grade 5. 

Honestly, we experienced a lot of challenges last year. The kids have a hard time adjusting to blended learning. And so am I -as their home learning partner most of the time. We even hired a tutor for Yohan as my alternate during the times that I have to report at the office. Yasmin’s grades dropped because she was overwhelmed with the activities required in most of the subjects. Nevertheless, we survived and  completed the new normal schooling amidst this on-going pandemic. 

This year, we are anticipating some adjustments that I believe will make learning from home much easier. Thanks for the applications made accessible for the kids, such as Facebook Messenger. Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Meet, Google Classroom, and Google Forms. They are also learning to use Canva for designing their outputs.

They will still use the Self-Learning Modules developed by DepEd as reference for their lesson and activities. 

Good luck to us and hoping for another meaningful and productive school year. 

Why I Love Watching Korean Dramas and Movies + an Inspiring Quote from one of the shows I’m currently watching

 Wow! that was a long title, hehehe 

‘Twas year 2004 when I first hooked to Korean dramas and movies. Believe it or not, I love them way more than the locally-produced ones.  Ooopps, sorry. 

Full House (starring Song He-Kyo and Rain) was the very first drama I’ve watched.  I still remember those days that my former officemate and I swapped CDs containing all the episodes of our favorites shows. Thanks to the fast-evolving technology, we now have lots of options on where to watch/stream our favorite TV shows. 

I’ve seen a hundred (or more) titles ranging from romantic comedy, romance, medical, legal,  thriller and all other interesting genres. That made me realized that, perhaps, I should blog about my reviews and Kdrama recommendations for you, guys. Hmmm, watch out for it, soon. 

Fast forward to 2020 to 2021, pandemic period, when most of us are stucked at home, bored and worried – especially here, in my side of the globe, where the coronavirus pandemic is far from over.  We need to refrain from going out unless it is an essential business like reporting for work, or buying basic goods. Watching movies, dramas and documentaries is one of our favorite hobbies at home. 

Korean dramas are very interesting to watch, isn’t it? It is because they have interesting plots – creative story lines, love story match ups, and relatable experiences by the lead stars. There are shows that I even watch over and over again. 

I am currently watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha. It’s a new series on Netflix with only 3 out of  16 episodes available. It is a light-hearted, romantic comedy. The lead stars Kim Seon-ho and Shi Min-a have an amazing chemistry, too. They are now trending  on social media as “dimple couple”. 

    credits to decider.com for the background image. 

That’s one of my favorite lines from the show.  

I am also waiting for the last two episodes of Hospital Playlist Season 2.