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How To Brag Better In A Job Interview

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How To Brag Better In A Job Interview
How To Brag Better In A Job Interview

Talking about yourself during a job interview can feel a little awkward: You want to paint yourself in the best light to stand out from other candidates, but you also don’t want to overdo it and sound cocky. So how do you tread the line between confidence and arrogance?

The thing is, if there were ever a time to toot your own horn, it’s during a job interview. Recruiters want to talk to people who are genuinely eager and confident, according to Tamika Doolin, Career Coach and Workforce Educator at Career Karma and Guild Education.

“If you’re really connected with the work, you should be able to show a healthy amount of enthusiasm as opposed to ‘I’m the best person for this job, and you should hire me because I’m great,’” Tamika says. “When candidates lack enthusiasm — a real defined why — those are often the ones who get set aside.”

Advocating for yourself in an interview definitely takes practice and comes easier to some folks than others. But there are some tips that can help you harness this skill.

Ahead, Tamika shares steps you can take to get more comfortable talking about your accomplishments during interviews and tips that will help you make a lasting impression on a potential employer.

Make a brag list

When you’re put on the spot in an interview, it’s easy to forget all your talking points. Before your interview, write down all the ways you meet the criteria on the job posting (with examples, if possible). Pay close attention to the “preferred” section, where you’ll find specific qualities that you can highlight to stand apart from the competition, Tamika says. Then, think about how your past experience ladders up to the job you’re after.

“Say someone’s going into cybersecurity for a major retail company, and they happen to have a large background working in retail — maybe even asset protection,” Tamika says. “That’s very relevant and has a lot of transferable skills.”

Writing up a cheat sheet like this will give you an outline of key points to highlight during your interview. Plus, seeing all the ways you meet the requirements for the role can quiet any feelings of impostor syndrome or self-doubt you might be experiencing.

Use metrics to illustrate your impact

Tamika recommends weaving metrics in your interview responses whenever you can to provide tangible, measurable evidence of your contributions. Let the data do the talking — numbers don’t lie. Including metrics in your responses shows that you’re driven by results and mindful of business goals, and it also provides context so your interviewer can better understand the scope of your accomplishments and impact.

The type of metrics that you bring up will vary depending on your field or past experience. For example, have you ever finished a project before its deadline? If you’ve built an app, how many people currently use it? How did specific features you worked on increase engagement with the product? If you’re applying for a leadership position, how many team members did you manage during a project?

Focus on the company’s mission

Along with the job posting, go over the company’s mission and values. You don’t need to memorize them, but find something that resonates with you and speak to how you’d embody those qualities while on the job.

Tamika recalls a standout candidate who connected their life goals to the company’s in an interview: “They really did a great job of creating that buy-in — saying, ‘I’m here not just to be in this role, but to make an impact.’”

The key is to find something you’re passionate about to illustrate how your personal ethics and ambitions can serve you in the role. “Making that personal connection and showing that you’re really invested in this opportunity — that’s where the magic happens,” Tamika says.

Own your personal path

If you’re a self-taught developer, you might worry that you won’t measure up to other candidates with traditional degrees — but this isn’t the case. People from nontraditional backgrounds offer fresh and valuable perspectives, and learning to code on your own shows initiative and commitment (especially if you were juggling other responsibilities at the same time).

Tamika suggests exploring your potential team’s backgrounds by looking at their LinkedIn profiles or bios to help alleviate any anxieties you have about your own and empower you to speak about your journey and education more confidently. Plus, you might stumble upon mutual interests or shared experiences that you can bring up during your interview to help build rapport and establish common ground.

Rehearse your answers

Find someone in your inner circle who can practice asking you some common interview questions related to the role you’re applying to. Even if they aren’t an expert in the field, it’s good to practice telling your story and get an outsider perspective. “Most people can give you general feedback, and the people who know you best are going to be honest with you,” Tamika says.

To help you get started, here’s a list of common interview questions for popular roles in tech:

Show them you’re a STAR

At some point in the interview, you’ll probably be asked to provide examples of challenges you’ve faced or projects you’ve completed. Tamika recommends using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method as you answer questions to ensure your responses offer enough detail (without rambling).

“Talk about the situation that happened, your response, and the result or outcome based on how you handled it,” Tamika says. “Give real, tangible examples of things you’ve done in past and present roles that would make you a strong performer in the role you’re applying to.”

Breaking the story down into key points allows you to succinctly showcase your past contributions, and coming to the interview with examples already in mind will help you avoid long pauses (or tangents) when you’re asked for details.

Flex your people skills

At the end of the day, you should be yourself, because interviews are also a chance for recruiters or hiring managers to get to know you. “Companies are looking for people that can work well within a team — or even lead one — so your soft skills are just as important as your ability to get things done,” Tamika says.

Think back to stories that showcase your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively. For example, a front-end developer could talk about how they worked with other people on their team to ensure a final product was up to par.

Smiling and making eye contact go a long way toward illustrating your excitement for the opportunity. “Some people are so nervous that they forget to smile,” Tamika says. “That could be read as ‘this person’s not really interested in being here — they’re just going through the motions.’”

More interview prep resources

If you’re still feeling jittery, check out our tips to help you conquer your nerves.

And remember: Interviews are a two-way street. Consider preparing a list of questions to ask your interviewer so you can learn more about the company and ultimately decide if you want to work there.

You’ll also want to prepare for technical interviews, which involve solving coding problems with specific programming languages. With code challenges, you can practice ahead of time using real assessments pulled from leading tech companies. Not only will they give you a sense of what to expect, but they’ll also show you which topics you need to brush up on if you need a refresher. Need more help preparing for a career in tech? Check out our career center.

Interview Prep Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Interviewing is an important step in your journey towards landing a job in tech. Technical interviews let you showcase your skills and knowledge, but practice is key. You’ll need to understand technical concepts and be prepared to talk through solutions with your interviewers.

Hanging Out

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Hanging Out

What do you like to do with your friends? Where do you tend to hang out? Do you sometimes wish there were more places to go?

If you could magically create a new spot where you and your friends would have fun and, perhaps, meet like-minded people, what would it be? A new park? A store of some kind? A sports or gaming club? A craft or art studio? A nightclub? What would this place be like, and why would it be perfect for you?

Tell us in the comments, then read this related article to learn about how some groups of New York City friends are spending their time.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Weekly News Quiz for Students: Mask Mandate, Twitter Purchase, Plagiarism Case

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Weekly News Quiz for Students: Mask Mandate, Twitter Purchase, Plagiarism Case

Above is an image related to one of the recent news stories we’ve been following. Do you know what it shows? At the bottom of this quiz, you’ll find the answer.

Our news quiz was on hiatus last week for spring break, so this week’s quiz includes news from all of April. Have you been paying attention to the news this month? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.

Lesson of the Day: ‘As Families Grieve, Grandparents Step Up’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘As Families Grieve, Grandparents Step Up’

Featured Article: “As Families Grieve, Grandparents Step Up,” by Paula Span with photographs by Todd Heisler

In the United States, as many as 200,000 children have had a parent die from Covid-19. In the wake of those losses, other family members — often grandparents — frequently step up to support the grieving children.

In this lesson, you will learn about how grandparents and grandchildren are navigating new relationships after the death of a family member. Then, you will watch a film about a grief camp for young people or write a brief story about your relationship with your grandparent or another elder in your life.

Analyze statistics about Covid-19 deaths.

Explore The New York Times’s tracker of Covid-19 cases and deaths. What do you notice about cases nationally and internationally? What about death rates?

Then, look at rates specifically in your state or region. How do deaths from Covid-19 in your area compare to the rest of country or world? Are you surprised by these statistics? Why or why not?

Read the article or listen to the 15-minute embedded audio. Then, answer the following questions:

1. How have Covid-19 deaths affected the relationships between some grandparents and their grandchildren?

2. Choose one quote from the article that illustrates a positive aspect of this change.

3. Choose one quote that demonstrates the challenges and stresses that can arise from the new relationships.

4. What story do the photographs in this article tell? If you were to explain the main idea, or a primary theme, of the article using only three photographs, which three photographs would you choose? Why?

5. What forms of support do the young people in the article, and their grandparents, have as they cope with grief and navigate their changing relationships?

6. What is your reaction to the article? What did you learn? Were you able to relate to any of the stories or experiences documented in the article?

Option 1: Reflect on your relationship with a grandparent or elder.

Do any of the relationships between grandparents and grandchildren remind you of your relationship with your grandparents or another elder in your community?

We recently asked students to respond to “Constancy in Candy,” which a reader submitted to the Tiny Love Stories column. In this brief story, Samantha Facciolo writes about her grandmother:

My grandmother kept a candy bowl on a table by her front door. Growing up, I would sneak butterscotches and strawberry sweets. During the pandemic, my grandmother moved into assisted living. On my first visit after lockdown, I saw how much of her 90-year life she had discarded to fit into her new residence. Yet, she’d saved the familiar bowl. Driving home, I discovered that she’d slipped its candy into my purse. Years before, when I had confessed my childhood thievery, she laughed. “Why do you think I kept it on that low table? It’s always been for you.”

  • Do you have, or have you had, a close connection with a grandparent or an elder? What is, or was, your relationship like?

  • What is one item, like the candy bowl belonging to Ms. Facciolo’s grandmother, that reminds you of this person?

Now, write a story of no more than 100 words about a grandparent or an elder who has been a part of your life. Post it in the comments or submit it to Tiny Love Stories.

Option 2: Learn about grief and young people.

Watch this Film Club about a camp for children and teens who have lost someone important. As you watch, think about how this film might connect with the stories of the young people that you read about in the featured article. You can also use our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help you remember specific moments from the film.

After watching the film, respond to the following questions in your journal or through a class discussion. Or share your answers in the comments section of the Film Club.

  • What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?

  • How did the film relate to the article you read above? What was similar? What was different?

Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.

Little Free Libraries

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Little Free Libraries

Have you ever come across a Little Free Library in your neighborhood or anywhere else? There are over 100,000 of these miniature lending libraries around the globe where anyone can take or leave a book. But in the early pandemic, some people replaced books with canned goods, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and yarn and needles to give away.

If you were to construct a Little Free Library in front of the place where you live, what would you want it to look like? What would you put inside to give away? Why?

Tell us in the comments, then see more of the related illustration, or visit a news article that shows many real-life Little Free Library examples.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Have You Witnessed Bad Behavior in Youth Sports?

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Have You Witnessed Bad Behavior in Youth Sports?

Is bad behavior at youth sporting events a problem at your school or in your community? The article you’re about to read claims that, for years, “rowdy parents, coaches and players have created a toxic environment” in youth sports, particularly for referees. To what degree, if at all, do you agree with that statement?

In “Bad Behavior Drove a Referee Shortage. Covid Made It Worse.” Eduardo Medina writes about the current situation:

The 13-year-old soccer players in Cincinnati had been pulling at their opponents’ jerseys all game. Rhiana Garcia raised her flag again and again, signaling fouls. But a coach took issue with her officiating that October night in 2020.

The insults he directed at Rhiana, who was 14 at the time, intensified throughout the match; she said that he had accused her of being colorblind and had shouted expletives and a racial slur at her. Before the final whistle blew, the coach had been kicked off the field. And Rhiana, holding back tears, texted her boss, “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

Such unruly behavior is the driving force, referees say, behind a nationwide shortage of youth sports officials.

The shortfall has persisted for years, as rowdy parents, coaches and players have created a toxic environment that has driven referees away and hampered the recruitment of new ones, referees say. The pandemic only made things worse: The cancellation of games and entire seasons over the last two years hastened an exodus of older officials who decided that they didn’t want the low pay, angry shouting — or potential infection.

Now as youth games return, many referees are deciding that they will not.

From 2018 to 2021, an estimated 50,000 high school referees — roughly 20 percent — quit, said Dana Pappas, the director of officiating services for the National Federation of State High School Sports. New Hampshire lost a quarter of its hockey referees between 2018 and 2022, while the Public School Athletic League in New York City said it was short about 90 officials in Brooklyn.

“This is a nightmare across all sports,” Ms. Pappas said.

The article also describes how some communities are trying to solve the problem:

Referee organizations are looking for solutions. Soccer referees in San Francisco are considering delivering introductory speeches before games in an attempt to humanize themselves and draw empathy from spectators. The Nebraska Referee Developmental Program ran a public campaign this year with the tagline “Who are you yelling at?” to highlight referee abuse, emphasizing that 60 percent of officials are 17 or younger. Officially Human is partnering with leagues and teams to conduct classes on sports etiquette for parents and coaches.

Students, read the article, then tell us:

  • Did anything you read in the article surprise you? Have you witnessed this type of behavior at your youth sporting events? Have you noticed or heard about a shortage of referees where you live?

  • Have you ever been a referee? Would you want to be? Do you think most game officials are treated with respect by players, coaches and spectators at your games or matches?

  • The article contains some possible reasons that there are fewer referees today than there were a few years ago. Which reason best explains the situation?

  • What do you think needs to happen to fix the referee shortage? Do you think any of the potential solutions mentioned in the article could work? Which ones, and why?

  • Where do you think the line should be between showing respect for game officials and giving them constructive feedback? Should those present always defer to the authority of referees, even if they make mistakes?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

The Web of Life (Rights of Nature)

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The Web of Life (Rights of Nature)

Everything is connected in this world, you just have to open your eyes and see the bigger picture. AIU vows for an integral culture where your personal, academic and professional should be aligned to help you unleash your maximum potential and grow exponentially. #aiu #humanrights #education #unesco2030 #ExponentialGrowth #exponentialgrowth #integralculture #UniqueAndUnrepeatable #myaiu

How To Choose A JavaScript Framework For Beginners

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How To Choose A JavaScript Framework For Beginners
JavaScript framework

If you’ve ever looked at a web app and wondered how long it would take to build something like that yourself, the first question you should ask yourself is: Which JavaScript frameworks could you use?

With JavaScript, a popular programming language for beginners, frameworks are pre-written collections of code that you can use as a foundation for the code that you write. Although JavaScript frameworks can save you time and heavy lifting, using them isn’t cheating — it’s smart.

Frameworks enable you to do more things in a shorter amount of time and with fewer lines of code, explains Jiwon Shin, Senior Curriculum Developer at Codecademy. Developers should know how to utilize JavaScript frameworks to accomplish routine tasks. “No professional or industry is going to ever do anything without those frameworks,” Jiwon says.

Here’s what you need to know about JavaScript frameworks, and how to choose a beginner-friendly framework that’s right for you.

What are JavaScript frameworks?

A JavaScript framework is prewritten code that you can utilize and build upon, rather than having to write all of your code from scratch. “Frameworks provide you with a blueprint, so that you can use little bits to create a whole structure, and then you can style it in your own way,” Jiwon says.

You might’ve heard devs use the phrase “vanilla JavaScript,” which sounds like a fancy coffee order, but actually refers to bare-bones JavaScript code that doesn’t incorporate any frameworks or libraries. “The whole point of having a framework is really that it takes care of things for you that you might not think about,” Jiwon says. For example, an app that would take you hundreds of lines of vanilla JavaScript to code could be done in half that using a framework.

Frameworks not only make you a more efficient developer, but they also reduce the likelihood that you’ll make mistakes or errors, since the code has already been written and tested by other devs.

So, which JavaScript framework should you learn first?

That depends on what your goal is. For starters, figure out if you want to work in front-end or back-end development. “Are you interested in coding things behind the scenes and doing all the operations of a web app?” Jiwon says. “Or, are you interested in rendering what people actually see?”

Each JavaScript framework has its own official website (for example, React.js or Node.js) where you can download it and begin using the product. Our framework courses will walk you through exactly what to do next and how to utilize all of the features.

React.js

If you ultimately want to focus on front-end development, Jiwon suggests that you start with React.js. In a 2021 Stack Overflow survey of 60,000+ developers, React.js was the most widely used web framework. And it makes sense why React.js tends to be a front-end favorite: It allows you to build dynamic and interactive web apps that are scalable.

In our course Learn React, you’ll get comfortable using JSX, a syntax extension of JavaScript, and learn how different React.js components interact with each other. You’ll also hone your React fluency working on a project that involves setting up an authorization layer for a website.

Good to know: There’s some debate about whether React.js is technically classified as a “framework” or a “library,” which is another set of previously-written code that you can use to build your own code. The subtle distinction might make your head spin, because both libraries and frameworks contain pre-written code that helps you do something. “The difference between a library and a framework is that frameworks generally give you structure for the whole web app,” Jiwon says. “A library will help you achieve one specific goal.”

Node.js

For folks who are more interested in back-end development, then it’s “Node.js all the way,” Jiwon says. Node.js is both a framework and a JavaScript runtime environment (which means that it runs a server in the language) for building desktop applications. Node.js is equipped to handle asynchronous JavaScript code, which means it can run programs while waiting for a longer-running task to complete.

Check out our course Learn Node.js, which will teach you the basics of back-end web architecture and how to write server-side logic. While learning Node.js, you’ll discover that there are lots of different modules, which are built-in features that interact with the command line. For example, in the course, you’ll get to make your own HTTP server for an online Rock-Paper-Scissors game.

Getting started with JavaScript frameworks

Before you jump into a JavaScript framework, you’ll need to be familiar with JavaScript syntax, so you can understand the code that you’re copying, pasting, and altering, Jiwon says. Start with our course Learn JavaScript to get a handle on the fundamentals of the programming language. If you already know some JavaScript, Learn Intermediate JavaScript might be a better option — though it’s not a requisite to start on frameworks.

If you’re really ready to take the next step and want to pursue a tech career, check out our Front-End Engineer or Back-End Engineer career paths for in-depth practice and lessons that will get you ready to interview for jobs.

And remember: Everyone has different learning styles and philosophies, so you’re not limited to these beginner-friendly frameworks. If you’re someone who likes to dive in and learn by doing, don’t be afraid to explore more advanced frameworks (like Angular.js), Jiwon says. You really can’t choose the “wrong” framework, and there’s a good chance you’ll touch on lots of other frameworks as you progress as a developer.

Career Center | Codecademy

Get ready to get hired. Make your next career move with the tools, resources, and support you need to reach your goal.

Word of the Day: magnum opus

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Word of the Day: magnum opus

The word magnum opus has appeared in 35 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Sept. 24 in “The Score of Final Fantasy Gets Its Due at the Concert Hall” by Aina J. Khan:

Writing video game scores isn’t always respected by those in the classical music fields. After majoring in piano at the Osaka College of Music, Yoko Shimomura, 53, applied for a job as a video game composer, a career path that her professors discouraged, she said.

“Adults in my generation back then had little awareness about game music,” Shimomura said in a video interview. “So they had no concept to compare it to whatsoever.”

But Shimomura went on to become one of the most prolific female video game composers in the world. Her magnum opus is the eclectic score for Kingdom Hearts, first released in 2002, which combines her signature piano, opera and opening music sung by the Japanese American singer, Hikaru Utada.

Can you correctly use the term magnum opus in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the term’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how magnum opus can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

How Good Is Your Sense of Direction?

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How Good Is Your Sense of Direction?

Can you guess where something is based on the address or cross streets alone? If someone were to reference a local landmark, such as mountains, the ocean or a distinctive building, would that help to situate you? Or do you primarily depend on your smartphone map to get yourself places?

As a child in Chicago, Stephanie de Silva found that the city helped her get where she was going. Streets included directional names like “West” or “North,” and they often met at neat right angles. If all else failed, Lake Michigan could situate her.

But when Ms. de Silva, 23, moved to London, where she now studies cognitive science, she suddenly could not navigate to a restaurant two blocks from home without a smartphone map. The streets were often crooked. Sometimes, they seemed to lead nowhere.

“I don’t think the cardinal directions exist here,” she said. “I’ve lived here for six months now, and I don’t know which direction I’m facing.”

Scientists in Ms. de Silva’s lab at University College London, along with colleagues in Britain and France, have now arrived at an explanation: People who grow up in predictable, gridlike cities like Chicago or New York seem to struggle to navigate as easily as those who come from more rural areas or more intricate cities.

Those findings, published in Nature, suggest that people’s childhood surroundings influence not only their health and well-being but also their ability to get around later in life. Much like language, navigation is a skill that appears to be most malleable when people’s brains are developing, the researchers concluded.

The authors hope the findings eventually lead to navigation-based tests to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Getting lost can sometimes occur earlier in the course of the illness than memory problems, they said.

Researchers have developed virtual navigation tests for cognitive decline, but they can interpret the results only if they know what other factors influence people’s way-finding abilities.

Among the forces shaping people’s navigation skills, the study suggested, was what kind of places they experienced as a child.

“The environment matters,” said Hugo Spiers, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and one of the study’s lead authors. “The environment we’re exposed to has a knock-on effect, into the 70s, on cognition.”

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, as well as 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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