5 weak words that make your writing less effective

5 weak words that make your writing less effective5 weak words that make your writing less effectiveI cant stand frail, weak writing. And neither can you. You know when youve read content that compels you to do something that matters and when something bores you to tears. You may just elend know exactly why.And you need to be able to identify those words that weaken your writing so that you can stamp them out of your vocabulary.Words are the lifeblood of your writing. Theyre what you use to build credibility or diminish it.Words matter. Theyre what make your arguments mora compelling, your prose stronger, and your craft more captivating.Untrained writers can be careless with their words. It takes discipline to use these tools well. Here are five lazy words that make your writing weaker and how to fix themStuffStuff is a lazy word. Only use it sparingly when youre intentionally trying to be informal.Instead, use a more descriptive noun.ThingsThings is another lazy word. People often o veruse it. While not always inappropriate, it also should be used on rare occasions.Things is nondescript and can often be replaced with much better nouns, such as reasons or elements or issues and so onGotGot is a terrible verb. It means obtaining something or can also be used as a helping verb like have. More often than not, got can usually go away.Instead of saying I got up, say I woke up.Instead of saying, I got a baseball, say, I have a baseball or I found a baseball.Not only is got a lazy word it is also vague. In the last sentence does got mean found or have?Was/Is/Are/AmOften people will say something like, I was there or We were at the party.In these cases, the writers are using different versions of the verb to be when they could be employing better action words.For example, you could instead say, I stood silently in the kitchen or My wife and I arrived late to the party.WentWent is like are. There are a hundred other verbs that you could exchange for went.Instead of sayin g, I went to the store, you could say, I walked to the store or, I drove my car to buy some groceries at the store.Went is a lame word - vague, boring, lackluster.As are am, got, stuff, and things. Here are a few more words and phrases to use sparinglyveryallimportantused toeveryneverfeelseemthinkoftenalmostbigsmallhave gotjustStop using them in your writing.Or at very least, think twice before whipping out a simplistic, overused word like are.Words lose their meaning when we use them carelessly. Take your time, carefully considering how you will utilize the best words possible.When you write, your copy wields great potential. Dont squander it.This article first appeared on Medium.

Appen Work-At-Home Opportunities

Appen Work-At-Home OpportunitiesAppen Work-At-Home OpportunitiesAppen prides itself on being an award-winninglanguage technology solutions and consulting firm. Many of the companysindependent contractors are fluent in one or more of the 120 languages and dialects. Its services include data collection, transcription, data annotation, search relevance evaluation, social media evaluation, and linguistic consulting. Appen partners with technology and e-commerce companies to help them expand into global markets. Types of Work-at-Home Opportunities The company offers many of its existing employees the option to work from home or any location worldwide. However, it also has a number of freelance or independent contractor positions that are home-based. These include jobs in TranslationSocial media evaluationCrowdsourcing projectsTranscriptionSearch evaluationLocalizationSourcingData annotation Search evaluation positions require up to five hours of availability per day Monday through Fri day. Web search evaluators must complete a qualification process that involves completing a review of qualification materials and a series of exams. The process may take up to 25 to 40 hours of commitment over one to three weeks. The training is free. Crowdsourcing is the term Appen uses to describe its micro jobs. These online tasks require no training and pay pennies per task. The company claims top crowdsourcers can make up to $25 an hour. Applying for Work Go to the Appen Opportunitiespage at theAppen website, where current needs are listed, and a search field is available to narrow your search.Work from home jobs are listed as Remote. If you dont binnensee a position in your language or location, you may register with the company and be notified when a suitable project is available. Qualifications Qualifications vary for the different positions. Some, particularly translation positions, require a college degree, but most dont. All language-related positions require some test of your language abilities. For search evaluation jobs, you must be a native or near-native speaker in the required language. Languages that Appen works in include dialects of Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Bakhtiari, Basque, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, Gallego, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Kermanji, Korean, Kurdish Sorani, Laki, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luri, Malayalam, Malagasy, Mandarin, Marathi, Mazanderani, Oriya, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wu and Xiang. Its likely the company will add more languages, so check its website for the latest needs. Remote Technical Requirements Work-at-home independent contractors must provide a computer that is less than thre e years old,antivirus software and high-speed Internet. The computer must run Microsoft Windows Vista or newer or Mac OS operating system. No tablets are allowed. Some projects might require a headset with a microphone that uses VOIP. Pay and Benefits Many of theindependent contracting positions such as search evaluators, translators, and data annotators pay an hourly rate. Crowdsourcing projects are paid at a rate per hit, which varies. Payments of a $50 minimum are made on a bimonthly basis.

Jobs in Demand During the Holiday Season

Jobs in Demand During the Holiday SeasonJobs in Demand During the Holiday SeasonJobs in Demand During the Holiday SeasonWith the holiday rush comes an increase in jobs in certain sectors. Heres how to capitalizeA friend of mine welches an unemployed bartender and student. During his weekends, he would call all the bars and clubs nearby asking if they were short of personnel, knowing that on weekends it is very common for a bartender not to show up, which leaves these places needing someone urgently. My friends technique was to call one hour before opening, and very frequently someone would ask if he could be there in 30 minutes. Even though he didnt have a regular job, he was working most weekend nights.Youve probably heard that the holiday season is a dead time for job searching. While this may be true for certain careers and professions, there is a huge demand in many job sectors that see a significant increase in their activities from November to January. While many of those oppor tunities are only seasonal and therefore temporary, you can still benefit from this demand. If you are unemployed, this can be a short-term solution until the market goes back to normal after the holidays. It is also a good opportunity to add more experience to your resume and avoid gaps in work history. However, not all seasonal jobs stay temporary. Many people that are hired for the holiday season continue working for the company as long-term employees.The following are some areas that typically hire more employees during this season. Yet, like my friend did, you must keep an eye out and anticipate businesses needs and approach those opportunities before they get publicized.Sales and Customer ServiceThis one is quite obvious. Almost all stores experience a boost in abverkauf and customer queries during the holidays. Toy shops, clothing and department stores, perfume shops, jewelry stores, shoe stores, and home decoration centers are some examples of businesses that will be requiri ng more staff. If you have experience as a cashier, stock clerk, product promoter, or in maintenance and security, you will find a high demand for these careers.Distribution and DeliveryWith online abverkauf becoming more and more popular, the need for more couriers to cover routes and guarantee timely deliveries increases considerably over the holidays.Related How to Make the Holiday Hiring Spree Work for YouTourism and HospitalityPeople traveling to visit their loved ones, and others making the best of their time off work whether alone or with their families, represent a great increase in these job sectors. From hotel front desk clerks, travel/reservation agents, and flight attendants to waiters, guides, and chefs, there are many opportunities derived from travelers, visitors, and even locals utilizing travel services during the holidays.Transportation and LogisticsAn increase in sales also means an increase in inventory needs and therefore a higher demand for transportation and l ogistics services. Some examples of personnel required are drivers, warehouse clerks and managers, inventory managers, logistics supervisors, and chain supply specialists.ElectronicsAfter toys, this is probably the most popular gift category during this season. If you have specialized knowledge of computers, game consoles, entertainment systems, and mobile devices, you will have many people asking you for advice. Whether you are helping customers choose, repair, or install their gadgets, you will be very busyEvent CoordinationFrom private parties and corporate events to New Years Eve celebrations, the holiday season offers endless opportunities for event coordinators and professional party planners.The holiday season is also a good opportunity to start your own business wrapping gifts, selling those delicious cookies everyone loves, decorating interiors you get the idea. Just think about your abilities and brainstorm how you can capitalize on themClick on the following link for mor e job-search tips.Need to update your resume? Request a free resume critique todayRecommended ReadingHoliday Overload Steps for Balancing Work and Life6 Simple Tips for Staying Thankful During a Tough Job Search5 Ways to Make Extra Money During the Holidays