4 Job Posting Requiring MS Office Skills

Aviation Co-Pilot

Paradigm isr is a subsidiary of n-Link Corporation that was looking to fill a co-pilot position.  Taken from Paradigm's website, "PARADIGM’s strengths include the management and implementation of unmanned vehicle data collection systems, with an emphasis on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and their applications to agriculture (view news articles), public safety, natural resources, academic research, communications systems, and a wide variety of other subject areas."  The job offer specifically mentioned extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office being a prerequisite.

This job posting was e-mailed to me from my adviser here at COCC.  The company website can be found at:

Paradigm ISR

Informatics Manager

"The role of the Informatics Manager is to analyze health and financial data to produce, verify and interpret reports for both internal and external clients with minimal oversight."

Qualchoice Informatics Manager

Hospice Billing Coordinator

Billing coordinator position for a hospice company in Irvine, CA.

Silverado Hospice

Office Administration Assistant

"Manages the review, analysis and administration of contracts using systems and software designed to ensure accurate tracking and recordkeeping regarding the fulfillment of all contractual obligations."

PowerHouse Retail Services

4 Online Tools That Make Work Easier

Remember The Milk

I actually checked this out for the first time after Ralph told us about it the first week of CIS 120.  Very good multi-purpose organizational tool for scheduling daily, weekly or monthly tasks.  I like that certain tasks can be set to repeat at intervals so you don't have to make multiple entries.  My one complaint about it is the fact that the app version only syncs with your online account if you upgraded to the "pro" version but that's not a huge deal breaker as you can just as easily rely on one or the other.

Remember The Milk

Google Drive

Google drive is a great way to manage files and not have to worry about where they are physically located.  Files and documents are saved to the cloud, which means they can be accessed anywhere you can get an internet connection without having to worry about portable media such as flash drives.  Another nice feature is that when you're working on a file, it autosaves every few seconds so the chances of losing data is very minimal.  Google drive also allows file sharing between users making group projects easier.

Google Drive

Microsoft One Drive

Similar to Google drive, this is Microsoft's version that also allows cloud storage of files and documents as well as the ability to share them.  After looking into both, I prefer the Google Drive product as I feel it is easier to navigate and perform the functions that you want.

Microsoft One Drive

Evernote

I have not used this yet but it looks like a very promising website/app in which you can organize your notes, to-do lists and various projects to keep everything organized.  From what I can tell there are a few different subscription levels, with the pro levels having additional features such as collaboration and possible file sharing.  It also looks like there's a downloadable app which will sync with the online service, even with the free version.  One cool feature that I would be interested in using is the ability to take pictures and associate that with your notes; this would be a really cool idea for taking class notes, such as taking a picture of something drawn on the white board.

Evernote

4 Web Sites I Visit Most Often

Google

I have google set as my default page when I open the Chrome browser, but despite that I still use the search engine enough to make it one of the top web pages I visit.  Google has been an immense help with everything from researching topics for college papers, to looking up pictures, articles and other topics of interest.  Hands down my favorite search engine.

Google

Blackboard

Blackboard is the online interface for most classwork at COCC.  I spend a good deal of time here everyday doing homework assignments, quizzes and the like, and keeping on top of my grades in each class.

COCC Blackboard

Youtube

Youtube is a great source of content whether you are looking for comedy, researching a subject or just looking at videos of interest.  On the flip side tho, I feel that youtube is equally full of garbage since anyone can upload there, so a certain amount of caution is required.  Still, I find myself going there frequently enough and for the most part I enjoy it.  However, I have to be careful myself because looking for a specific video can often turn into a huge time waster as I eyeball the "Suggested Videos" area based on what I'm currently watching.

Youtube

Gmail

My gmail account serves as my hub for all my important college-related and personal e-mail.  It gets checked multiple times daily.  One thing I like is the ease of making labelled folders and organizing your e-mail into them so that if you need to go back and look for an important e-mail, you don't necessarily have to search for a needle in a haystack to find it.

Gmail

3 Powerful PowerPoint Presentations at TED

Bertrand Piccard: My solar-powered adventure

In this presentation, Bertrand Piccard talks about the challenges of flying a solar-powered aircraft around the world, non-stop, using only solar power and electric motors.  Throughout the presentation he uses a variety of actual photographs and schematics that compliment what he is talking about while not entirely relying on the visual aids to deliver his message.

Bertrand Piccard's Solar-Powered Adventure

Erika DeBenedictis: Strategies for fuel-efficient space travel

In this presentation, Erika DeBenedictis talks about different strategies that are being considered to reduce the amount of fuel necessary for a manned mission to Mars.  Her presentation features several diagrams and charts to help her make her case.

Erika DeBenedictis: Strategies for fuel-efficient space travel

Stewart Brand + Mark Z. Jacobson: Debate: Does the world need nuclear energy

This was a rather interesting presentation that was actually a debate between two people on whether or not the world needs nuclear energy.  Both sides of the argument used good visual aids with pictures and charts to present their argument.  It appeared to me that some of the charts were actually created in Excel and imported into PowerPoint; it looked very crisp and professional.

Stewart Brand + Mark Z. Jacobson: Debate: Does the world need nuclear energy?

3 Tutorials Explaining Excel Financial Functions

1.  Hun Kim Youtube Video

A very nice, short and sweet video tutorial/demonstration of the PMT function in Excel.  Narrator does a good job of explaining how to use the function.

Address:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiVU5qeX48Q
Link:  Hun Kim PMT Function Tutorial

2.  TVM Calcs

This site shows a couple different examples of the future value function.  No video with this one but it shows several screenshots and instructions for you to follow along with a practice worksheet to see the results for yourself.

Address:  http://www.tvmcalcs.com/calculators/excel_tvm_functions/excel_tvm_functions_page1
Link:  TVM Calcs

3.  ExcelFunctions.net

This site shows several different financial functions in Excel; this particular one talks about the yield function and how to properly use it.  It also tells you of some common mistakes that can be made and how to quickly correct them so the function works.

Address:  http://www.excelfunctions.net/Excel-Yield-Function.html
Link:  ExcelFunctions

3 News Articles/Reports Utilizing Data Tables and Charts

1.  Gunpolicy.org

While this isn't specifically a news site, it contains a wealth of data about firearm ownership, use, and crime in virtually all countries around the world.  There are a multitude of charts to choose from and you can even create your own (to a point) if you want to compare data; for example, comparing gun ownership rates in the U.S. and Canada from the last 10 years.  I used this site as a resource when doing an essay on gun control facts in a previous class.

Address:  http://www.gunpolicy.org/
Link:  GunPolicy

2.  MacroTrends Unemployment Data

A nice, graphical line representation of our nation's unemployment data since September of 2002.  According to the site, the data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Address:  http://www.macrotrends.net/1339/unemployment-rate-last-ten-years
Link:  MacroTrends Unemployment Data

3.  GasBuddy.com

A nice site with a variety of charts showing average gas price data throughout the United States.  You can select several different charts showing gas prices for the last month, year, and several other time period ranges.

Address:  http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx?time=24
Link:  GasBuddy

3 Sites with Examples of Nice Resumes

1.  Resume.com

This website features several different resume designs that range from old school and "classic" to modern, crisp and professional.  I didn't see any downloadable templates for use in Word; it appears that you have to build your resume there using the website interface.  Either way, they have some very nice looking templates to choose from.

Website and Link:  http://www.resume.com  Resume.com

2.  Microsoft Templates

In addition to what comes pre-loaded on Microsoft Word, Microsoft offers downloadable resume templates for use in Word.  Good variety of themes and designs available for download.

Website and Link:  https://store.office.live.com/templates/Resumes%20and%20Cover%20Letters Microsoft Word Resume Templates

3.  Primer Magazine

Primer Magazine (online) offers 7 free resume templates for use in Microsoft Word.  There's a preview for each template (or you can download them all) and in all reality I did not see one that I didn't like the style of.  And if those 7 aren't enough to choose from, at the bottom of the page there's a link to 12 more.

Website and Link:  http://www.primermagazine.com/2011/earn/7-free-resume-templates
Primer's 7 Free Resume Templates

4 Free Online Resources for Learning Office

1.  GCF Learn Free

This website features free tutorials for all of the Microsoft Office products.  I looked into the section dedicated to Microsoft Word and they had their tutorials neatly broken down into different categories depending on what kind of task you were trying to accomplish.  Quite a few screen caps of the menus as well which would help in finding the right button for the job.

Address:  http://www.gcflearnfree.org/word2013
Link:  GCF Learn Free Word 2013

2.  Microsoft Office Training

Microsoft's own training section which covers all of their products.  Categories are typically broken down by skill level, ranging from "Beginner" tasks to "Advanced".

Address:  https://support.office.com/en-US/Article/Training-courses-for-Excel-2013-aaae974d-3f47-41d9-895e-97a71c2e8a4a?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
Link:  Training Courses for Excel 2013

3.  MrExcel

They claim to be "Your One Stop For Excel Tips & Solutions" and from what I've seen, that claim definitely looks to be accurate!  A wealth of information on the Excel program.  There is also a Youtube channel that features Excel video tutorials several times per month.

Addresses:  http://www.mrexcel.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/user/bjele123/
Links:  MrExcel and MrExcel on Youtube

4.  Udemy

Udemy offers a free introductory PowerPoint course.  The course is broken down into a series of videos that start with introductory videos and progress to basic functions.  The tutorial does require signing up with an e-mail address but the content is free.  They also offer more advanced courses for a fee if people want to continue their learning.

Address:  https://www.udemy.com/introduction-to-microsoft-powerpoint-2013/?siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-YmBdQlvnd_6JG_XQyKPyiQ&LSNPUBID=je6NUbpObpQ
Link:  Udemy PowerPoint Free Course

4 Software Programs I Use Most Often

1.  Google Chrome

Google Chrome has been my web browser of choice for quite some time now.  Previously I used Internet Explorer, however I felt it was becoming overly complicated and "clunky" and I was looking for something new.  I was already using Google as my main search engine, and decided to give their browser a try.  I instantly liked it better than IE and I've been using it since.  It feels cleaner, sleeker, and faster; I also like that I can save my settings and favorites to my Google account and then retrieve that data from any computer that has Chrome installed.  That way I never have to worry about keeping a separate list of my favorite websites.  It's also rather nice being able to search just from typing in the address bar.

2.  Webroot Secure Anywhere

This isn't necessarily a "get things done" program that you use for productivity, however since it is always running in the background of my laptop I feel that it's worth mentioning.  Secure Anywhere is an all-in-one program that protects your computer from viruses, worms, and malware, as well as maintaining a firewall.  You can use it to manually scan specific files, your entire computer, or just leave the real time shield active and it is always monitoring things in the background.  The settings can also be setup to scan your computer at specific intervals, like most virus protection programs.  Although I haven't used it, the program includes 25 GB of cloud storage and a handy "System Optimizer" tool which cleans up unnecessary junk files and data to save hard drive space.

3.  Textra

Since I send a lot of text messages on a day-to-day basis, it is only fair to include this Android phone app as well.  My phone came with a texting app installed but at one point it stopped working.  None of the messages would load and I got stuck with an infinitely lasting "Loading..." message.  Since I didn't feel like dealing with tech support at the time, I looked around on the Android Market and found an app called Textra.  Mostly good reviews, so I installed it and I've been using it ever since.  I would even go as far as saying it's better than the phone's stock messaging app.  In addition to having all of the standard features one would expect from a messaging app, this one feels a bit faster to me.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wanted to try a different texting app on their smartphone.  Great app for keeping in touch with friends and loved ones.

4.  Calendar App on Phone

The stock calendar app on my Android phone has proven itself useful time and time again.  I use this to help keep track of my work schedule, appointments, and other important reminders.  I can set certain events to repeat at specific intervals and also set alarms to go off prior to events as a reminder (such as a reminder before an appointment somewhere) so I won't forget about it.  Another nice feature of this app is you can set events to occur (such as a work schedule) for a period of time and it will warn you if you try to schedule another event at the same time.

3 Types of Computers I Use Most Often

1.  Laptop

I would say that my trust laptop is the computer I use the most.  Especially since starting college, my laptop has acted as my virtual hub for doing homework and staying organized.  I cannot really imagine what it would be like not having a laptop for college work.  Granted, some people are able to pull it off but I would imagine it's much more difficult.  Mine has gotten me through a number of papers, powerpoints and various other homework related projects and I'm sure that will remain the case throughout the course of my education.  I'm especially looking forward to learning Excel in this class, as I have no clue how to do anything in it as of now.  I did try fooling around in it once, but didn't get very far.

The only thing I don't care for much about my laptop is the Windows 8 system.  I feel that the interface would be more suited to a tablet design, or something with a touch screen (which my laptop is not).  I've mostly gotten used to it, but the vast majority of the time I just go straight to the desktop since I'm used to that format.

2.  Android Phone

My cell phone is another computer that I use frequently.  I still remember the days when cell phones folded in half and had retractable antennas and you could only use them to make a phone call.  Now we have touch screens and the ability to video conference with people on the other side of the world from the palm of your hand.

I mostly use my phone for communication.  I definitely text more than I call, unless I feel that a phone call is more appropriate for the situation.  I also have my e-mail linked to it so I can get my e-mails no matter where I'm at, which is useful when an important college-related message pops in.  I also use my phone to check my Facebook periodically throughout the day, but I am not a social media addict by any means.  It's also nice having the ability to look up something online if I wish to do so and I'm not near a computer.  I don't play many games on my phone, but I do enjoy a good game of Words With Friends with a few people.

3.  Playstation 3

Last but not least, my PlayStation 3 system.  Being a college student leaves me very little time to actually use this device currently, but I chose to include it due to the immense amount of time I spent on it before college.  Mine is an original that I've had since they were first released; one of the old "fat" models.  In all these years I have only had a single "yellow light of death" event, which I had fixed and it has ran like a champ ever since.

My gaming interests right now are mostly RPG-focussed.  The Souls series is my hands down favorite, and one of my proudest gaming achievements has been earning the platinum trophy on all 3 souls games (took forever!).  Not a huge fan of shooters unless they're 3rd person; a few years back I was a very dedicated player on Metal Gear Online before the servers were shut down in 2012.

The PS3 has also been somewhat of a social tool via gaming; I have "met" and played with people on various games from all over the U.S. and abroad.  I've developed good friendships with a few people and I still remain in contact with them to this day, despite not being able to spend as much time gaming as before.  These days, I look at getting on the PS3 as a treat instead of a habit.