Blog Spring 2018

We can’t believe it, our internship with RadiusOnline is coming to an end. It’s our last day as interns, and we are so sad to say goodbye. We hope you have enjoyed all of our posts along the way and thank you for staying tuned for the ride!

Now, some final thoughts from your friendly Spring 2018 interns:

Anna:

I can’t believe my time at RadiusOnline is already coming to an end. I am beyond thankful for the time I have spent here learning new things and the AMAZING people I’ve met along the way.

Everything from writing blog posts to learning new things about the digital marketing world to visiting the Chick-Fil-A headquarters, I’ve loved it all! I remember walking in on the first day, nervous, overdressed and unsure about how the semester was going to go. Over three months later and I feel like I have been a valuable part of the RadiusOnline team and was greeted with open arms every step of the way.

I sure am going to miss everything RadiusOnline has to offer when I leave…my little desk with easy access bowl of chocolates, my fellow interns and co-workers, the silly daily conversations in the office, and of course the catered Friday lunches. Thankfully, I will be walking away with so much insight and knowledge beyond what I ever expected to achieve from this role. But for now, onto my next chapter…over and out!

Brittney:

It’s crazy to think how quickly this semester came and went. It literally feels like just yesterday when I accepted the position. Being able to learn as much as I have in the last few months is amazing. During my time here, I enjoyed going to the Braves game (in a suite!), the Chick-fil-a tour, catered Friday lunches, and most importantly learning from some really smart people.

I want to personally thank Vu, LanNhi, and Katherine for this opportunity. Also, a special shout out to Whitney! One of the sweetest people I have ever met…Ever. I’m truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to work here. Anyone who is considering applying, just do it. You’ll learn so much and enjoy many perks and surprises but most importantly great company. Thanks for everything y’all!

Chris:

Radius Online is amazing! I’ve had my fair share of internships and this program was the absolute BEST! When interning here, you actually learn and obtain new skills that will help you for your future career. I am so lucky to have worked with these amazing people and my fellow Interns. ***Oh, and the free Friday lunches are a bonus***

When I interviewed for the Spring Intern Position I knew that I wanted to work here and be part of this amazing company culture. I’m so thankful for everyone who has taught me while being here.

My advice to you: APPLY ! APPLY!!  APPLY!!!!  You won’t regret it!

Subhasree:

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying Goodbye so hard” These four months of my internship has given me a lot to learn, more than just PHP. RadiusOnline has given me new Friends and an extended family. Many inspirational people around me from my mentor Joshua, inspiring Vu (exceptionally inspirational thoughts), very caring LanNhi, always warm welcoming Emily- Kathy -Whitney, always loving buddies Irian –Swan- Vinny-Jenny, finally my awesome friends Anna –Britney- Chris and everyone in this office Viri-Henry-Dalton- Isak-Montana…. .

Special mention my mentor Joshua has been the best in helping me learn GIT ,PHP , Symfony…“break  the codes to learn more.” I will proudly tell I have been around awesome people who do awesome things.  It was fun learning!!!!

Traveling abroad is all fun and games until you actually have to start preparing for it. It’s easy to become overwhelmed at the sight of a long checklist and you may even see the procrastination start to kick in. No need to stress, I’ve compiled this helpful checklist of tasks that you need to consider before you leave for your next trip:

1. Get a passport

If you’re traveling anywhere outside of your home country, you are obviously going to need a passport. If you already have one, check to make sure it hasn’t expired. Don’t wait too long to get your passport because it could take as long as EIGHT WEEKS for your passport to be in your hands!

2. Book any flights and hotels

To ensure you get the best deals, make sure to book your flights, hotels, or Airbnbs well in advance. The further in advance you purchase your tickets, the cheaper they cost. Consider looking into booking through a travel booking website such as Travelocity or Expedia to ensure you get the best deals.

Pro tip: the best days to buy plane tickets are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. That’s when tickets are usually cheaper.

3. Print extra copies of important documents

Your mom will probably bug you about this one, but it’s important to print off some extra copies of your important documents such as your passport and ID to keep with you on your trip. This is just in case of an emergency if you somehow lose track of them. You don’t want to be stranded in a foreign country unable to leave if your passport gets lost or stolen. 

4. Figure out all things money

Do you know what the conversion rate is? Will your debit or credit card work in the country you are going to? Does your bank or credit card provider know you will be leaving the country? These are some critical questions you need to know the answers to before you leave. Always make sure to have some local cash on you for places like trains or buses, so stop by an ATM once you get to your destination and take some cash out. It’s also important to let your bank know where you’re going because they might think you are encountering fraud when they get notice that your card is being used to buy pasta in Italy. So, to avoid being locked out of your account, just call your bank to let them know that you’re going overseas.

5. Communication

While you are away, you will want to be able to communicate with your family and friends back home. It’s important to figure out if your phone will work overseas and determine how much it will cost you. Some phone services offer phone plans specifically for overseas travel which can include calls, texts, and even data usage. If you don’t want to spend much on phone charges, consider downloading a free messaging and calling app such as WhatsApp or Viber.

6. Pack accordingly

Traveling to a new country means you will experience different culture with new customs. Do some research and make sure to pack clothes that are appropriate for the places you are traveling to. For instance, if you are going to be visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in France, you may want to think twice about wearing those booty shorts or sleeveless shirts. There may not be an enforced dress code, but it’s important to be respectful in a place of worship and know that they might deny you entry if your clothing choices are inappropriate. On a lighter note, you should also consider what the weather will be like when you’re there and pack accordingly. Dressing in layers is always a good idea for traveling abroad!

7. Get charger adapters

Something you might not think about right off the bat is whether or not you will need an adapter or power converter for your chargers. Pretty much any country you go to you will need to get some sort of adapter for your chargers because they have different plug outlets. Luckily, you can pick some up at practically any store such as Target or Walmart. This is also a good time for you to make sure you have all the chargers you will need throughout your trip for your phone, camera, laptop, etc.

8. Download maps and apps before you leave

How will you know where to go once you get to your destination? On my previous trips abroad, I found it helpful to download maps and travel guides to my phone before I departed from America. That way, I could figure out where to go the moment I arrived. Some people still use paper maps, but you may be better off using some technology to guide you!

Bottom line

Give yourself enough time to do all of the tasks above. Traveling abroad can be stressful if you don’t prepare yourself well enough. Stick to these tips when planning your next trip to ensure yourself an easy travel. Bon voyage….and take lots of pictures!

We all know that working is essential to life. We need money to buy food, pay for housing, and of course get those Netflix subscriptions. It’s becoming easier and easier to put in extra hours by working from home or staying in the office after hours to finish up a project.  However, plenty of people fail to realize that we should work to live not live to work. No one ever looks back on life and wishes they would have worked more. No one. For the most part, most people will say that work-life balance is important to them, but many have no idea how to actually achieve it. So, here are some tips on how to achieve and maintain work-life balance.

1. Leave work at work

First and foremost, whether you’re the boss or the employee, work should be left at work. A way to go about making sure you don’t bring work home with you is to create a transitional routine that helps your brain disconnect from the workday. Some things to consider doing are exercising, listening to music or podcasts during your commute home, or even making a physical list of what needs to be done at work the next day and forgetting about it until you return back to your job. The whole point of all of this is to let go of the workday stress so that you won’t bring it home with you.

2. Make time for hobbies and passions

Plenty of people are quick to put their hobbies and passions aside in order to stay that extra hour at work to put those final touches on that presentation or finalize that project that’s been put on the back burner one too many times. However, this isn’t ideal. Take the time to paint, read, be a mentor, play video games, or whatever it is that makes you happy. Doing the things you are actually passionate about will bring fulfillment to your life. You’ll have something to look forward to after work. Also, doing what you love will help decrease stress.

3. Have a social life

Please. Please. Pleaaase make sure to actually have a social life. Don’t blow off plans with your loved ones because you’re staying late at the office again or because your work day was long and stressful. Being around loved ones can help take your mind off of work, and you’ll get to create new and fun memories with them. Some ways to make sure you maintain your social life would be to attend regular activities such as art classes, book clubs, or even weekly dinners with friends. You can even plan fun activities to do on a weekday so that you’ll have something to look forward to midweek, and you won’t even have to wait until the weekend to do something exciting!

4. Set work goals

It’s important to set some goals when it comes to your job. For example, write down what you need to do on a weekly basis, and then make tasks from that goal list and do a few of them each day. This way, you’ll be able to leave work and feel satisfied with finishing the tasks you planned for yourself. Just make sure to be realistic about what you can and cannot finish in a day and don’t wear yourself thin. If you happen to not finish your daily goals, put the leftover tasks on your to-do list for the next day and finish then first thing in the morning.

5. Set life goals

Just like with work goals, you should set some life goals. Make those plans to travel become a reality. Plan to buy a home or relocate to a new city or even a new country. Learn something new. Simply make sure you’re setting goals for yourself outside of work. The objective is to always be striving for personal growth. Take into consideration what is important to you in your personal life, and then make career choices based on those decisions. Only you can decide what you want for your life, so get to figuring all of that out and make it happen.

6. Make time for you

Last and certainly not least, make time for yourself. Although family, friends, and work are all important, your me time is equally as important. Take time to do something that you enjoy such as watching that TV show you’ve been meaning to watch, going to a new restaurant alone, taking a walk in the park, or even simply just be alone and do nothing. Set aside time to make sure you are taken care of whether that is mentally, physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Being in tune with yourself will help you maintain a healthy work and personal life. So, don’t skimp out on or feel bad for wanting that alone time.

Overall, if work-life balance is important to you, make sure to put in the effort to actually achieve it. You don’t have to wait to start incorporating some of these tips in your daily life. Choose one and start today!

The stress from today
Travels with me again tomorrow
Like weights on my shoulders
Unable to be thrown off
Until daylight shines
Lifting it away
But not for very long
Because the stress from yesterday
Starts again tomorrow.

This a quote written by Jordan, a poet. Well, it is so true. Life these days has become so complicated that even kids are stressed out. Everyone who has ever held a job will surely relate to it. I’m sure at RadiusOnline it might be very different. Like this:

But in general a regular yoga practice can assist with reducing stress, anxiety and tension. Taking a few moments to de-stress is vital to maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit. “Sukhasana” is a basic seated yoga posture which is considered as a very common pose that can be practiced by both beginners and practitioner. Its name comes from two Sanskrit words: “Sukha” — meaning “easy,” “comfortable,” or “joy” (from “su,” meaning “good,” and “kha,” meaning “space”)  and “Asana” — meaning “pose”. Steps to do this yoga position:

I . Sit down normally on the floor. Stretch out your legs ahead in front.

II . Now cross your legs and broaden your knees, so that you can slip each feet under the opposite knee.

III .  After that, you have to bend your knees along with the fold of your legs.

IV . Keep your feet loose, so that the external edges lay on the floor and the inner curves are settled beneath the inverse leg.

V . Your thighs and crossed legs ought to frame a little triangle. Keep some space between your feet and pelvis.

VI . Now sit with your back in a neutral position. Attempt to hold for a breath or two and after that gradually bring yourself back down on to the floor.

VII . Balance your tail bone and pubic bone in a manner that they are equidistant from the floor.Keep your hands on your knees with palm facing down and expand your tailbone against the floor. As you slow your breath, your mind will begin to calm down.

Life is short to stress yourself so stay stress free . How ?  KEEP SMILING 

Videos! Everyone watches them and a lot of people nowadays are creating them. Whether you are a video specialist, film student, vlogger, or even avid snapchat user, you are probably creating videos on a daily. Lets face it, we LOVE watching videos! We learn from videos, we cry while watching them, and we even get inspired to do crazy things (a.k.a. me after watching a GoPro video).

Though watching them is easy, creating them may be slightly more difficult. Luckily for you, I’m here to give you 4 tips for creating a video with ANY purpose.

Tip #1: Choose a decent camera that you are comfortable with using.

There are so many cameras available to choose from but my favorite is my GoPro! Depending on the video you want to create, you might have to have a specific camera (such as scuba diving…you will need a GoPro for that). Other cameras that are great are DSLR’s, Black Magics, and even your iPhone! So many people are using their iPhones instead of cameras that cost hundreds of dollars for videos nowadays ….don’t believe me? Check out Kanye West’s music video for “Only One”. That entire music video was filmed on an iPhone.

Tip #2: Consider what purpose your video serves.

Whether you want to make a music video, PSA, or a vine (RIP vine)… your video should have a purpose. The main purpose of video is to improve the understanding and comprehension of an idea. This could include wanting to make someone laugh, cry, learn, or entertain. That’s for you to decide. The greatest goal of a video is to inform, inspire, or entertain people.

Tip #3 SOUND & CLARITY are everything.

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE will want to watch a video that is blurry or that has terrible audio. There are factors you should consider when filming. Try to choose a location that is relatively quiet so your camera can pick up audio. Also, make sure the location has great lighting that isn’t too dim nor too bright (watch out for natural sunlight).

Tip #4 Post Production

This tip applies to people who want to edit their video by using a software before they publish it. There are different softwares for different levels of editors. Apple iMovie is the most basic form of software for beginners. Apple FinalCut is a more advanced software for editors who want to add special effects to their videos. Adobe Premiere Pro is the most advanced form of software, most film editors use this software (but just because its the most advanced does not mean its terribly difficult).

Now that you know some concepts on creating a video, go out and make the most amazing video that anyone has seen!!! (…..or at least one that your Grandma will like).

Congratulations! You made it through four exhausting years of tests, papers, bad decisions, all-nighters and much more. Now it’s time to buckle down and start thinking of what you want to do with your life after graduation. Who are we kidding, we all know that this dilemma crosses your mind daily and causes you to have constant stress and anxiety.

Well, you can wipe the sweat and tears off your face because one thing I will not be telling you is to go headfirst in finding a full-time job directly after graduation. Although many people have success with it, there are other options out there to think about! Luckily for you, I compiled some alternative options for your post-college plans:

1. Travel

Everyone says it, but not everyone does it! Traveling the world or just the country can give you so much life experience that college (or even a job) can’t give you. Taking some time to explore and endure other cultures can be a nice way to debrief from the non-stop hustle and bustle that is college. If you’re unsure about some cheap and exciting travel locations, check out this Bustle article that may lead you down the right path! Plus, when will you ever have this much guilt-free spare time again?

2. More school

At this point you’re probably tired of school, but if you have reconsidered your desired career path or you just want to gather some more knowledge, going to graduate school or some form of higher education might be your best option. Plus, with the addition of your second degree, you have a higher chance of getting paid more in the long-run!

3. Volunteer

You’re just out of college and you have no idea what to do next. Volunteering is a great way for you to help make the world a better place, while also benefiting yourself a little along the way. Volunteer numbers have been decreasing over the past couple of years in the U.S., making volunteering even more vital. In efforts to making the world a better place, volunteering can also help build your resume, give you a new outlook on life and help you find inspiration for your future.

4. Work part-time or freelance

If you’re looking to make money, but are hesitant about starting a full-time job, maybe working part-time or freelancing is something to consider. There’s nothing wrong with getting a part-time job doing something you love to help gather up some funds. On that note, freelancing is also a great way to make some money on your own terms while also doing what you’re good at and showing off your skills!

5. Get an internship

Being an intern after graduation is a great way to get your feet wet in the professional world. You can gain valuable experience, make connections and also discover what you like or don’t like in a future job. Not to mention, internships look great on your resume and can often lead to full-time jobs if you’re lucky!

6. Take risks

This can apply to anyone and everyone who has recently graduated college. You can learn a lot about yourself just by having fun and making mistakes. Take this odd period after graduation to do things you’ve never had time to do while in school. People always talk about the “real world” as simply being a professional or being a full-time adult, but I’d like to think the real world is just what you decide to do with your life and how to find your path on your own.

“Do what you love, not what you think you’re supposed to do.”

No matter what you choose to do after college, just remember that there is no right or wrong choice. As cheesy as it is, do what’s best for YOU! Eventually you’ll end up where you’re meant to be, right?

Every year, thousands upon thousands of college students graduate and hope to start their freshman year of life with a bang. As young adults looking to start their professional careers, finding a job can sometimes be difficult. Some graduates look for a job in or close to the cities where they are already located and others hit the ground running in hopes of finding a job in their dream city.

Well, not everyone wants to stay where they are or knows exactly where they want to go. Picking up a map and just choosing a location isn’t going to work either. You’ve got to do your research. That is where I come in. I’ve scoured the internet and put together a list – a very unofficial list – of 5 cities that’s great for young professionals. In no particular order, let’s get started.

1. Austin, Texas

If you’re a weirdo like me, then Austin may be a great choice for you. Keep Austin Weird is the city’s slogan, and it was originally created in order to promote small businesses in Austin. Austin was also listed as our top city to start a small business! The unemployment rate is also under 4%, and there is no state income tax. So, jobs and money shouldn’t be a concern if you’re interested in relocating to Austin. Don’t be worried about getting out there and meeting new people either! Austin is a lively city with plenty to do ranging from nightlife, live music festivals, outdoorsy stuff, and great food and coffee (Hello breakfast burritos!). So, if you’re a creative, young professional and don’t mind getting a little weird, then I believe Austin is calling your name!

2. Denver, Colorado

Dubbed the Mile High City, Denver has been a top relocation choice for young adults, specifically Millennials. Not only is it number 2 on our aforementioned list for top cities to start a small business, over 30% of the city’s populations is between the age of 18-34 and the unemployment rate is a very teeny weeny 2.2%. As far as things to do,you can participate in Denver’s active nightlife, extensive food and beer scene, and outdoor activities. Skiing anyone? Make your way to Denver if you like city living and love the mountains.

3. Atlanta, Georgia

Hotlanta. A-Town. The Big Peach. The Empire City of the South. Whatever you want to call it, Atlanta is another place to be for young professionals. Or, maybe I’m biased? *shrugs* Not only is Atlanta another great place to start a small business, it’s a great city to get your feet wet and kick off your career. The job market is growing and the cost of living is low compared to many other comparable cities. You’ll also get a good mix of urban and suburban here. And, if you’re look for things to do, check out the World of Coke, the Aquarium, Olympic Park, and the nightlife, food, and shopping scenes. If you’re looking for a good place to start out, come and join me and my fellow ATLiens (not an official name, but you gotta love OutKast) here in Atlanta.

*Side Note: We’ll know if you’re not from here if you pronounce the t’s in Atlanta lol.

4. San Francisco, California

First, let me say that while San Francisco’s rent is comparable to that of NYC, don’t let that scare you off. San Francisco’s unemployment rate is just a little under 3%, and its workers are usually well compensated. Around 23% of the residents there are between 25 and 34. Boasting a hip nightlife, great food scene, and a location near Silicon Valley, countless Millennials have made their way here. If you’re a young professional looking to jump into anything to do with tech or startups then you should definitely give thought into living in San Francisco.

5. Minneapolis, Minnesota

And last but certainly not least, the City of Lakes. Minneapolis not only is affordable but only has an unemployment rate of exactly 3%, so finding a job shouldn’t be too much of a problem. On average about 23% of a worker’s salary goes toward housing which is great for professionals who are working in entry level positions. With all of that extra cash left over, you can make your way over to the Mall of America or choose to explore cultural landmarks such as the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Walker Art Center. If you love art and the outdoors, Minneapolis could be the right fit for you.

Overall, choosing somewhere to relocate to can be a pain, especially when you’re just getting started in your profession or don’t know much about what other places have to offer. I just hope this list helps you out a little or gave you a few cities to think about.

 Blog, Blog, Blog. All of the sudden when I was asked to write a blog, I was so clueless but excited. Pictured myself as a successful blogger and even started to believe that blogging is everything I need. But as soon as you start writing your first blog post, your feelings change. You develop some kind of confusion and fear. Bit of mixed feelings. Then I sat back to write down what One needs, to write a blog.

Just like all the beginners, I started browsing, ended up searching 56 sites and 3 dozen  topics like these:

   ! . Topics that I can write.

 !! . How to write a blog

!!! . Mistakes to prevent when you start to write

 !V . Blog examples for college students

  V . Most popular blog topics 2018

Some topics like “Top 35 Blogging Ideas That Are Guaranteed to Be Popular” made me realize that blogs were not about just writing. It had more; others should find your thoughts interesting, creative and honest. I felt stuck, and probably a bit depressed. I started asking for suggestions from everyone: friends, bloggers and from my cute doggie too. People told me…

“Think…Think….even if you’re walking or having lunch. An idea may strike at any time and any place, and you’ll need to make a note of it.”

I even searched what blog really meant. Wikipedia just described it as a discussion or informational website published for more informal diary-style text entries. It drove me crazy, finally I decided to honestly write what I felt and what I went through while trying to write a blog.

Five main steps you need to do in order to start a blog. If you follow this guide exactly, you’ll have your own blog set up in 30 minutes or less.

 ! . Choose your preferred blog platform

 !! . Choose web hosting for your blog

!!! . Setting up a blog on your own domain

 !V . Design your blog

  V . Useful resources for blogging

                Final thoughts: just write your heart out!

Communicating is difficult, you are probably thinking …no it’s not, I talk to my friends ALL the time. EXACTLY! It’s easy to talk amongst our friend group and people who we are comfortable with but how about talking with your boss or your professor? What about having a conversation with that stranger in the elevator that you see everyday but never speak to (instead you look at your phone to avoid awkward conversation). No worries, you’re not alone, but lucky for you i’m here to share 5 ways that can help you grow your verbal communication skills!

 Rather than texting, call people.

It sounds silly but in all honesty this is a great first step to improve your communication skills. Do you ever think about how many messages you send back and forth to a friend or family member compared to a call? Or when you do call them you awkwardly talk for a few minutes and hope that the conversation ends soon. END THIS  HABIT!!!  Force yourself to call people when asking to meet up or when it’s someone’s birthday rather than texting them, this can help get a point across and show a more personal meaning behind the conversation. The first step to improving a skill is forcing yourself to do that set skill and becoming comfortable with doing it. Challenge yourself to call someone once a day! It’s harder than it looks but it will help!

Ask questions!

When communicating, acting like you know everything that the person is saying (in fear of looking dumb) is not a great way to understand the content from the conversation. Asking questions will help you learn more and improve your skills by gaining self confidence when engaging in a conversation. This is great for interviews, most employers highly respect candidates that ask questions because it shows that they are highly engaged in the conversation and interested in learning more about the job itself.

Improve body language.

Research shows that “how we position our bodies causes chemical reaction in us that build our confidence” STAND TALL when you want to get a point across, it shows more credibility and can influence others. Slouching and crossing your arms shows a lack of opening yourself up, it also implies that you are reserved and less influential.

Join organizations / clubs!

Joining a club or organization is a great way of improving your communication skills. This requires you to speak up and discuss topics that are necessary in order to pursue the organization’s goal. Great organizations to join are Toastmasters and TEDx. Toastmasters is an organization that solely focuses on improving communication (speech) and leadership skills. TEDx is a organization that emphasizes on ideas that excite. As a member you will find speakers and help coach them on their talks.

Practice.

Force yourself to have at least ONE meaningful conversation with someone everyday. When you go to the grocery store, initiate a conversation with the cashier. After class, meet with your professor and discuss a topic that you either understood or didn’t comprehend with them. Practicing your communication skills daily will help you immensely!

Regardless of the different platforms used in the workplace today, email is still considered one of the most used professional communication tools. Over the years, the digital world has changed the way that we communicate with our peers, both socially and professionally. It’s tempting to type out a quick text message, send a silly Snapchat or Facebook message to get your questions answered and points across, but it’s just not the same as a good, old fashioned email!

Don’t worry, whether you’re new to the professional world or you just want to perfect your corresponding techniques with other professionals, these tips can help you become an expert in email etiquette!

Briefly introduce yourself

When emailing someone professionally, you can’t assume that they know or remember who you are. If you think they might not remember you, remind them who you are by beginning the email with a quick introduction to help them understand why you might be emailing them. This also helps the reader connect to you on a slightly more personal basis.

Concise subject line

The subject line is the first thing your recipient sees before opening up an email and can help catch the reader’s attention. It’s important to make sure the subject line is simple and understandable, but not too vague. If it’s too vague, it can end up looking like spam. It should be short and to the point and relatively descriptive of what is discussed in the email.

Know your audience

Before writing the email, think about who will be reading it. Is this person more on the formal side or are they a little more informal and laid back? You should write in the language that they would write in. (Note: if you are unsure of your recipient’s writing style, it’s wise to go with a more formal tone. You know what they say… it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed!)

Keep it simple

Making your emails simple and easy to read is an essential, yet often overlooked aspect of email writing for many people. According to Inc., white space is your friend when it comes to formatting. Spacing out different points and paragraphs throughout your email can make your message clean and easy to follow. It’s also important to keep your emails concise and stick to one main topic so you don’t overwhelm the reader. Following these rules will allow the recipient to easily scan and digest your email’s information.

Always proofread

There’s nothing that says “unprofessional” like typos and styling errors. Even if you don’t think there could possibly be any mistakes or typos in your email, let’s face it… there probably are. Just read over your message before clicking the send button. It may even be helpful to wait to insert the recipient’s email address until after you have finished writing and proofreading your email. I know it’s tempting to just type out your email and immediately hit send, but save yourself and proofread your writing.

Include a signature

After you’ve completed your email, it’s customary to conclude with a signature. It allows your recipients to get a final sense of who you are and help them learn more about you. Typically, your signature should include your name, company name, and any other contact information like your phone number or links to your social media accounts. If you’re composing an email on your mobile device, Business News Daily recommends deleting the “sent from iPhone” message at the bottom of your email. It can make you seem less professional.

Always address the person you’re emailing

Maybe you have been emailing back and forth with a coworker or future employer three or four times now and you are getting tired of starting every email with some variation of  “Good afternoon Mr._____,” or “Hello Mrs.______,”. It may seem repetitive, but it is more professional to continue addressing your recipient throughout your email thread rather than stopping two emails in and immediately spewing out information at the beginning of your emails.

Avoid using abbreviations, emojis or slang

Using words and phrases meant for texting and informal social communication in your professional emails is not in your best interest. Abbreviations anywhere from “legit” to “totes” should be left out and replaced with the real word. If you type like an adult, you will be perceived as one. This also includes the use of emojis. There is a time and a place for your favorite emojis…but definitely not in a professional email.

Writing a professional email can be difficult and frustrating, but hopefully with the help of these eight tips and some practice, you can email like an expert in no time!

It’s a new semester. That means there’s new interns on the block! So, I’m going to kick off our semester and first blog post with a little inspiration.

First and foremost, let me introduce myself. I’m Brittney, one of the new Inbound Marketing interns here at RadiusOnline. I’m a 23 year old who graduated from the University of Georgia 8 months ago. (Go Dawgs!) While at the moment, it’s easy for me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It hasn’t always been that way. In my mind, I expected to have moved out of my family’s home and kick started my career with a full-time position making bank and balling on a semi-adult like budget. However, that obviously isn’t the case.

After graduation, I had a plan. What that plan was doesn’t really matter anymore because that’s in the past. That plan fell through, and months went by. I saw and heard about people finding jobs and moving away. Yet, there I was. In the same place I had been for a while. But, brighter days were to come. I just didn’t know it yet.

“Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.”

So, here I am. An intern. Again. But, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This internship came at the perfect time. I got the call for an interview a couple weeks after I started to be more positive about the job search. I created positivity around me and positive things started to happen. I’m at a company where learning and getting hands-on experience is encouraged, there are no dumb questions, and everyone is willing to lend a helping hand. The people care about each other. And, the company culture fits me to a T. Even though I’ve only been here for a couple of weeks, I’m already enjoying this place.

“You can’t be both awesome and negative. Choose one.”

The important thing to take away from this is that this exact moment in time is exactly where all of us are meant to be. This is your journey and your journey only. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others, but we have to realize that success isn’t black and white. It isn’t a straight line to be followed. We have to individually determine what it means to be successful and what it means to be living a life worth living. That’s going to be different for each and every person. So, keep shining. Keep moving forward. And, don’t let anyone (including yourself) put you down for being where you’re meant to be. Yes, I know all of this may sound corny. Or, it may be something you already heard before, but it’s always good to be reminded to keep (or start) basking in your awesomeness and always, always, always do you!