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Introduction to Information Security

Behavioral analytics, personal information, use data, credit cards and payment data, health care information, and more are all examples of data businesses create, compile, and keep from their customers. Over the last decade, the surge in organizational data collecting, combined with the growing threat of cyber assaults and data breaches, has resulted in substantial advancements in the field of Information Security Management for IT organizations.

In this blog, we will be giving an Introduction to Information Security. You can gain proper knowledge on it before making it your career. Information security management refers to the procedures and policies used by IT and commercial organizations to protect their information assets against attacks and vulnerabilities. A Chief Security Officer, IT operations manager, or a Chief Technical Officer with a team of IT operators and security analysts may be in charge of information security. Many firms create an Information Security Management System, or ISMS, as a formal, written method for managing InfoSec.

Informational Asset:

Suppose your company does not collect or identify personal information from customers. You can ask if information security management measures are necessary to protect your data. Predictably, almost all organizations have information, which they do not want to make public.

The data could be stored physically or digitally. The discipline of Information Security Management is essential for preventing illegal access or theft.

Consider whether or not your company owns and wants to protect the following types of data assets:

Business and IT companies set and publish long-term strategic and short-term tactical objectives that define their long-term aims and vision for the future. These priceless internal documents can have the secrets and information that competitors would like to see.

Information Security Management Should Protect Critical Information About Products and Services – Critical information about services, and products, including those offered by the business and IT, should be safeguarded by information security management. This comprises any data or informative products provided to clients—the source code for in-house-built applications.

If your company offers digital products, you will need data security to ensure that hackers do not steal them and resell them without your permission or knowledge.

Proprietary Knowledge/Trade Secrets – During the process of doing business, every firm creates proprietary knowledge. You can preserve this expertise in an internal knowledge base, and it is available to the IT operators and also the support workers.

The unique insights and expertise acts as a competitive advantage for your company and are also known to be trade secrets. If you don’t disclose them freely with your competitors, you should secure these trade secrets and private knowledge with information security management measures. There are more points to be discussed in the Introduction to Information Security.

Ongoing Project Documentation: Ongoing project documentation refers to the details of products or services currently being developed. If your competitors figure out what you are up to, they can try to launch a competitive product or feature sooner than expected, even benchmarking it against your new product to keep you out of the market.

Employee Data: Human resource departments collect and store information about your personnel, such as performance reports, employment history, salary, and other details. These documents may include sensitive information that a hacker may use to blackmail your staff. Before attempting to poach your personnel, a competitor organization could utilize this information to select targets.

All of these examples are in addition to confidentially submitted customer data, where a failure to safeguard the data from theft would be a breach of trust and a violation of information security regulations or legislation in some cases.

Objectives of Information Security Management:

At the organizational level, information security is centered on the CIA trinity of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. For securing the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of protected information, information security controls are implemented. Each newly deployed control must be understood in promoting the CIA trinity for a protected data class by InfoSec specialists and SecOps teams. Let’s get a bit deeper into the Introduction to Information Security.

Confidentiality: When it comes to InfoSec, the terms confidentiality and privacy are interchangeable. Maintaining information confidentiality entails ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to or edit the data. Information security management teams can classify or categorize data depending on compromised data’s perceived risk and potential impact. For higher-risk data, further privacy protections can be introduced.

Integrity: Data integrity is addressed by information security management by providing controls that ensure the consistency and correctness of stored data throughout its life cycle. To be considered secure, an IT organization must verify that data is correctly stored and cannot be edited or deleted without the required authorization. To help ensure data integrity, measures like version control, user access controls, and check-sums can be applied.

Availability: Data availability is addressed by information security management by implementing processes and procedures. This can ensure the important information is available to authorized users when they need it. Hardware maintenance and repairs, patching and upgrades, and implementing incident response and disaster recovery processes are all everyday activities to prevent data loss in the event of a cyber attack.

Information security management is more than a requirement for some businesses to protect critical internal documents and consumer data. Information security management may be a regulatory obligation depending on your industry vertical to protect sensitive information collected from clients.

Information Security Policy:

An information security policy is a document that an organization creates based on its unique demands and requirements. It aids in determining what data to safeguard and how to protect it. These policies assist a business in making purchasing decisions for cybersecurity tools, and it also establishes expectations for employee behavior and responsibilities.

The following items should be included in an organization’s information security policy:

  • It should state the aim and goals of the information security program.
  • To ensure that everyone understands the paper, it must clarify the main terminology.
  • It has to have a password policy.
  • It should establish who has access to which information.
  • It must specify the employee’s roles and responsibilities in terms of data security.

This is all about the introduction to Information Security. You can do more research to know deeper about this topic.

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What You As An Oregon Student Should Know About Your Landlord

If you are a student at Oregon University and renting out an apartment from a landlord, there may be some important aspects you are not aware of and should know about. In this article, we look at the rights of you as a student renter and also touch base on the type of homeowner’s insurance they may have which has some limitations.

Oregon State and University

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. It has one of the largest universities named after the state – Oregon State University, founded almost 150 years ago and one that draws students from all the other 50 states and as a diverse university there are also those who come from over 100 different countries to join this institution that is rated in the top 1% of the world.

Although the university offers an assortment of excellent student accommodation to international, as well as transfer students, many prefer renting off-campus in an apartment near the university from one of many landlords.

Nevertheless, when renting for the first time, there are a few things you, as a student renter should be aware of such as the process of application, security deposits and your rights, before signing a lease.

A Landlords Homeowners Insurance and Limitations to Students

As a student, understanding where you stand if your landlord has homeowner’s insurance is imperative. This is mainly because there are some aspects it will cover, and others it will not. As a holistic approach, let’s look at what it covers such as destruction or damage to the property due to vandalism, natural disasters like floods and earthquakes.

However, it may not cover personal liability or your personal belongings in the event of any of the above-mentioned disasters.

Landlord-tenant laws commonly fall under the jurisdiction of individual states. But since many state laws are very similar in scope, tenants and landlords throughout the U.S. should expect that no matter where they’re located, these are four things property owners should never do when they’re renting out a unit:

Enter the premises without proper notice: typically, landlords can access the property after giving notice, between regular business hours of 9 am and 5 pm. There may be some exceptions such as an emergency, a leak or a fire.

Evict Tenants Unlawfully: if the landlord needs to evict the tenant they need to go through the proper legal procedures.

Security Deposits: the landlord must return your security deposit in the event you leave the apartment.

Repairs: the landlord is required to make necessary repairs to the accommodation where deemed necessary.

Raising the Rent and Not Justifying it: the lease you sign is a binding contract between you and the landlord. Once both parties have signed it there shouldn’t be any reason for them to raise the rent unless a new tenant joins the apartment, the landlord remodels the property or you bring in a pet.

Discrimination: they cannot discriminate against you or refuse to rent their apartment out to you in terms of gender, disability, sexual orientation, colour, race or familial status.

The property must be sanitary and safe and habitable. So, although the landlord may own the rental apartment, the renter has protection against arbitrary rent increase, harassment, discrimination or wrongful eviction.

There is also the aspect of renter’s insurance that you can consider, which will be useful for you in the event of theft, or damage to personal belongings. This is however something you will need to sign up for or your parents can do this on your behalf.

Researching before you sign a rental contract should be at the forefront of your planning, when moving from anywhere to take up a course at the Oregon State University, you will save yourself a lot of time and hassles in the long run.

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From Expendable to Promotable: How to Carve Out a Career

One of the keys to having a successful career (in any industry) is making yourself a valuable asset to those around you. If you prove yourself to be valuable to others, you’ll never have trouble finding a job. On the flip side, if you fail to provide value, you immediately become expendable.

The 3 Categories of Employees

As a young professional and new employee in an organization, it’s best to view yourself through a detached lens. In other words, you need to step outside of yourself every now and then and think about who you are through the lens of your employer, from your resume to your work output. Because at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

Whether they’re aware of it or not, your managers, bosses, and superiors basically view every employee – yourself included – as being in one of three categories. They are:

  • Category 1: Expendable. An employee who is expendable is someone who adds little-to-no value to the company. This person will be the first to be let go if the company downsizes. Very little responsibility or opportunities will be given to this individual.
  • Category 2: Warm Body. A warm body is an employee who is treading water. They do their job, but never more than the bare minimum. They might not lose the company money, but they certainly aren’t making much. If a better employee comes along, they’ll quickly be asked to leave.
  • Category 3: Promotable. A promotable employee is someone who adds a ton of value to the company. Not only are they next in line for job openings higher up the ladder, but the employer may actually lose sleep over the thought of the employee leaving. Thus they’ll do almost anything to keep them happy.

If you take a cross-section of 100 employees, you’ll likely find 30 expendable employees, 60 warm bodies, and just 10 promotable employees. The good news is that you can change categories. You might be expendable today, but with weeks and months of hard work, you can climb up and put yourself into the promotable category. However, it’s going to take work.

Going From Expendable to Promotable

There’s a common misconception that exceptional employees are the smartest people in the room. And while this can be true, it’s not always the case. Rarely are the most successful people in life the most highly educated or naturally gifted. In most cases, they’ve simply learned how to be proficient and consistent in dozens of little ways. If you want to be a promotable employee who climbs the success ladder, you must do the same. Here are some specific suggestions:

  1. Show Up On Time

Let’s start with something so simple that most employees forget about it: Showing up on time. This is something literally every single employee can and should do – no matter what else is happening. Whether you’re the janitor or a top employee who is in line for the next opening in the C-suite, showing up on time is a must.

When you’re consistently punctual, people notice. It makes you come across as conscientious, respectful, and reliable. On the other hand, people who come in late are seen as lazy, disrespectful, and hard to trust.

  1. Do What You Say You’re Going to Do

Again this is super simple – just do what you say you’re going to do. If you can make a habit out of living up to your word and doing precisely what you tell others you’ll do, you’ll become the most reliable person in the building. And reliable are some of the most attractive (from an HR and management perspective).

  1. Embrace Technology

The expendable employee fears technology because he thinks it makes him, well, expendable. And to some degree, he’s right. If you go through your entire career assuming you’re just one step away from being replaced by technology, you’ll probably be the first to go. The better approach is to embrace technology.

There’s no doubt that technology is changing rapidly and is automating many of the processes that people typically handle in entry-level jobs. But if you can learn how to use these technologies (rather than being intimidated by them), you’ll always have a job. Because it’s those who master this new class of tech that become valuable and indispensable resources to businesses.

For example, stop fretting about automated cloud solutions that streamline repetitive administrative tasks. Instead, learn how to use the technology. Become the master of the tool so that you’re the one in charge of implementing it, managing it, and utilizing the features. As technology becomes more important, you will too.

  1. Contribute Ideas

Most employees spend their time criticizing, complaining, and wishing things would be easier, more comfortable, or different. They’re known as negative people. You want to become known as an “idea person.”

An idea person is someone who offers solutions without criticizing the way things are currently going. It’s someone who is constantly throwing stuff against the wall to see if something sticks. And even though 99 out of 100 ideas will get turned down, there’s always that one that works. When that one works, it has the potential to elevate standing in the business.

Focus on the Small Things

You don’t need to go back to school and get a master’s degree. You don’t need to come up with a million-dollar product for your company. Instead, you just need to show up, do your job, and consistently get better. That’s where the real work is.

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How Students And Their Grandparents Can Benefit From A Closer Relationship

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-senior-mother-and-adult-daughter-using-smartphone-together-3791664/

Nowadays more and more senior people prefer staying at home when they reach an older age. Being surrounded by their loved ones offers them more comfort, peace, and safety than being in a homecare facility surrounded only by healthcare professionals. There are many reasons they prefer their retirement years to be in a familiar place rather than in a care home, one of them being the certainty and consistency it offers them. Indeed, there are situations when someone’s parent or grandparent requires special attention and care if their health is in very poor condition. However, in this case, there is another alternative. Hiring professional help to aid you is a great option, and you wouldn’t have to worry about them being home alone. And, if they require special care, you know that they are well taken care of while staying in a place they are familiar with, at home with family.

Another effective alternative is using telehealth services. The use of this type of healthcare service, providing consultations virtually without the patient having to leave home, has started to increase. Since the coronavirus pandemic has forced individuals to stay at home and only leave their houses for emergencies, the telehealth industry has constantly been growing. Many people, healthcare providers, and patients alike are seeing the benefits of using telehealth services. Regardless of a patient’s age or health condition, telehealth services can save them from unnecessary hospital visits. Plus, for senior persons who prefer staying at home, this service is a tremendous advantage that can support their decision to spend their retirement years with family while still following their treatment courses. This also gives their children and grandchildren peace of mind, as they aren’t as worried that their senior relatives wouldn’t be adequately cared for.

There is, however, a downside. Although seniors who wish to stay at home have the opportunity to use telehealth services, or other digital tools to ensure a feeling of independence, most elderly individuals are not so tech-savvy. In this situation, it is crucial they are properly taught how to use all these digital services and tools.

Usually, gaps in generations create discrepancies and differences in mentalities. Nevertheless, this is a circumstance where an opportunity arises: younger people are the most suitable teachers. They can help their grandparents use technology and get them acquainted with all kinds of digital tools. This also brings the opportunity of nurturing a closer relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. More often than not, their grandchildren are old enough – such as already attending university – to be highly confident in using digital devices and new technologies.

 

Why do seniors wish to remain at home?

According to the American Association of Retired Persons or AARP, 76% of U.S. citizens aged above 50 years old have stated that they would like to remain in their current residence, while 77% would prefer staying in their communities for as much time as possible. The number of people who wish to remain at home during their retirement years is undoubtedly high. However, in reality, not so many anticipate this will happen. More specifically, only 46% of Americans believe they will remain in their current home, and as little as 13% think they will stay within their community but in a different house. This shows that the future plans for most of the seniors are to spend their life at an older age in a familiar place, but not so many do so or believe this will be happening.

This discrepancy is worrying. The reason why many senior citizens reallocate might be that the changes needed to ensure easy living are yet to be implemented. For instance, families need financial support to adjust their homes to accommodate an elderly relative who needs special care. Given that so many wish to remain at home, it is necessary to facilitate the aging-in-place process. Some of the reasons why seniors want to be able to age at home are as follows:

  • Familiarity of the place: In contrast with a care facility, living in their home or with their children gives seniors a sense of security given that the place is familiar.
  • Closer relationships with loved ones: Given that the senior’s living arrangements are per their wishes, it makes them happier. This way, they won’t become distant from their family but instead, nurture closer relationships.
  • Less uncertainty for the future: When they reach an older age, individuals are more likely to develop feelings of uncertainty, especially if they live in a place different from what they know to be home. So, with a specific living arrangement that matches their desires, seniors will feel more appreciated.
  • Keeping their independence: Being able to stay at home at an older age makes seniors feel listened to and appreciated. This will also make them keep their sense of independence and increase their confidence.

A noteworthy mention would be that allowing your elderly relative to stay at home doesn’t mean it will be unsafe for them to do so. Nowadays, various in-home resources and technologies can facilitate their decision to age in place.

 

Easier access to care with telehealth services

One of the in-home resources that can facilitate an older adult to stay at home during retirement is telehealth. Such healthcare service has been improving recently, and more facilities are adapting to the demand and implementing this technology. For instance, Medicare has recently adopted a better telehealth strategy and improved its consultations. The coronavirus pandemic, and the social distancing restrictions that were enforced, have pointed out the advantages of using telehealth services.

For senior citizens, this means being able to get care from their healthcare provider without having to leave their home. From discussing any new health matter or worry without being in contact with sick people in the doctor’s office waiting room, to overseeing treatment progress and having regular health check-ups, seniors can benefit significantly from telehealth services. MedicareWire is a company that helps seniors find the best Medicare plan for their personal budget and health situation, including plans that offer telehealth services.

If an older person is looking to use telehealth services, it is vital to ensure they know how to use this technology. This will allow them to make the most of it and learn to contact their healthcare provider whenever needed. With this opportunity, seniors staying at home will feel less anxious regarding their health situation. In addition, their families will also have more confidence knowing that even though their parents or grandparents are living at home, they will be appropriately taken care of.

 

Students can help their grandparents with technology

The old saying “the student has become the master” takes an entirely new meaning when referring to how millennials or generation Z individuals can now impart their wisdom on their grandparents. It is usually the other way around, and while this remains true, there is no denying that the younger generation holds vital information that can be extremely useful to the older generation.

For instance, grandparents have stated that spending time with their grandchildren makes them feel younger, while they also learn interesting facts that are relevant nowadays. When it comes to using technology, an area where youths are experts, 75% of grandparents learn all the valuable details from their grandchildren. There is no denying that students can help their grandparents navigate better a world that relies almost entirely on digital tools and new technologies: from learning how to stream music or movies, using digital communication tools, to using other technologies that benefit seniors, such as telehealth services.

The fact that grandchildren can teach them how to use various digital tools, and not just the telehealth technology but other ones that can facilitate the lives of their senior relatives in smaller ways, strengthens their relationship. A close grandchild-grandparent relationship benefits both parties in many ways. When it comes to seniors, their lives can be improved if they learn how to use technologies such as:

  • Visual communication tools: The COVID-19 pandemic has shown everyone how important it is to keep in touch with your family and friends. While many of your loved ones probably already know how to use tools such as Facebook, Skype, Zoom, chances are your grandparents are not so confident with using them. So, teaching them how to use at least one of these communication tools will benefit your relationship. Plus, seniors will become more confident in themselves when they acquire the ability to communicate virtually with their loved ones or even their healthcare providers.
  • Home automation: This type of system, like Amazon Alexa, gives individuals automatic and remote control of their households. Such a home automation technology offers homeowners the ability to control the utilities of the house or various other features. Students teaching grandparents to do this will increase their sense of independence, bringing the two individuals closer together.
  • Transportation apps: Uber, Lyft, Instacart are transportation apps that can make someone’s life easier. Whether you use Uber to get from one place to another more safely and comfortably or use Instacart to deliver your groceries at home, they are beneficial. When seniors who wish to remain in their homes during retirement years learn how to use such apps, they won’t feel as dependent on others. Being able to order your groceries without having to carry any heavy bags is beneficial for older people who find it challenging to go to the store too often.
  • Telehealth services: As mentioned above, telehealth services are highly advantageous to seniors. With this, they will be able to have regular check-ups, as they won’t have to travel to the doctor’s office for prescriptions or when they are worried about a health issue. Students can teach their parents all the particularities of this technology, such as making appointments or scheduling a phone call with a healthcare professional.

 

Other benefits of a close student-grandparent relationship

There is no denying that students and their grandparents can both benefit from a closer relationship. With the help of their grandchildren, grandparents can learn how to use various digital apps and technology, which can certainly improve the quality of their lives and help them with their decision to age in place. On the other hand, their grandchildren also have much to learn from their elderly relatives. Undoubtedly, grandparents can impart their own wisdom to the younger generation. Going through all the stages of life gives them a different perspective, even though the current times are incredibly distinctive. So, students can receive valuable advice from their grandparents when it comes to making important decisions in life, such as choosing a career, saving for retirement, or having their own families.

A close relationship with your grandparents can teach a younger person never to stop learning and always be curious to acquire new information. The fact that many seniors have a desire to learn how to use technology shows the younger generation that you can constantly adapt and learn new things, regardless of your age. Plus, with grandchildren teaching their grandparents to use digital tools, their relationship will be stronger as they can remain connected irrespective of location.

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Types of Airport Parking

Airports are a point wherein we get to move from one place to another through the sky route. They are usually full of people. Some of them are being dropped off at airports, while some are being picked up. These days, they are designed with so much precision and full of art that many airports look more like tourist spot themselves.

However, one thing that remains constant at all airports is – parking lots, particularly for airline employees like pilots and flight attendants.

 

As air travel has become so common and airports are often bustling with crowds, it’s important to have good and safe airport parking in place, in order to make travel easier for the public.

This growth in demand and different purposes of travel has resulted in the creation of various types of parking options at the airport.


Here are three main types of airport parking:

1. Pickup and Drop-off zones

They are generally located closer to the terminal and require space. Vehicles may stand and park for a short period of time when the passengers are taking out or putting their luggage in the vehicles. This usually takes nearly 10-15 minutes. This space is not only used by private cars but also by cab services like Uber, shuttles, valets, and so on.

 

On Air Parking chooses only the best airport parking providers. They also provide shuttle service to and from the airport.

 

Departure (drop-off) zones comparatively see lesser ‘dwell time’ than the pick-up zones.

  1. Short Term Parking

This type of airport parking is usually offered in a multi-level parking garage that is close to the terminal. It offers a parking service at an hourly rate. It is usually used by those who are escorting those they are dropping off or are coming into the terminal just to meet their guests at the arrival.

Another interesting thing to note here is that airports are no longer just a transfer point. They may have restaurants, shops, and other services which are accessible to the public who are not even taking the flight. They also act as a good marketing point for brands that attract all types of consumers. Airports also offer viewing areas and host events to attract visitors. In such scenarios, having short-term parking at the airport becomes a good option.

 

  1. On-site long-term parking

Some people also know it as remote parking. This type of airport parking allows travelers to leave their vehicle at the airport for the duration of their trip. This is ideal for business travelers. A shuttle service can be run from the long-term parking to the airport entrance in order to make the transit easier. Some concierge services like a car wash, detailing, oil change, and so on can also be offered at long-term parking lots.

 

On Air Parking guarantees the best prices and services for airport parking. You can count on it to provide travelers with world-class parking services, which are tech-driven and not so expensive. There are no doubts about the fact that airport parking will continue to evolve even in the future, but one thing is for sure, On Air Parking will always meet the expectations of the times.

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Career Ideas for Language Learners

Source: Piqsels
Are you keen to learn a new language to add an extra dimension to your resume? It doesn’t matter if you’re close to graduating or you’re just getting started, it’s never too late to embrace foreign language learning. It can add a new string to your bow, giving you the ability to work overseas in countries that speak your new language. While there are some people that will choose to learn a new language simply because of their personal interest in it, there are many others motivated to do so for career purposes. Even those who learn a second language as a hobby soon recognize they can put their knowledge to good use in the form of a new career or vocation. Foreign language tutors will often build bespoke student packages that give discounted language lessons to college students with active university email addresses. That’s because the biggest challenge for students is to fit their linguistic studies around their college programs. It takes time to build your fluency in a new language too. It’s by no means an overnight task, but discounted tutoring can make it a more cost-effective undertaking. If you’re wondering what path your career could take with a foreign language under your belt, read on as we detail four potential vocations that could suit your multilingual talents.

Become a Translator or Interpreter

You could use your new linguistic skills in a full-time or part-time capacity, with the ability to work freelance as a translator or interpreter in your new language. Working freelance gives you the flexibility to take on as much translation work as you wish. There are several core competencies to bear in mind when working as a translator. You’ll have to be highly proficient in the language and some organizations will require you to have an academic background in the language too. You’ll also need literary skills in your native language to be able to translate or interpret with accuracy.

Work in Emergency Services

Source: Piqsels
A career in the emergency services could be hugely rewarding as a multilingual person. A 2018 BMC study demonstrated the value of multilingual and multicultural emergency healthcare. With the world becoming an increasingly smaller place, all kinds of nationalities and cultures mix in our neighborhoods. It’s what enriches the very fabric of today’s society. As an emergency services worker, you may encounter troubled citizens that speak very little English. If you happen to be proficient in their native tongue, you could be the difference in saving someone’s life, just by being able to effectively communicate with them.

Embrace a Customer Services Role

On the surface, a customer service position may not be a dedicated foreign language job. However, today’s customer service roles increasingly require multilingual employees to support customers from all walks of life. Customer service assistant roles for airlines, bus, and train stations increasingly value bilingual or multilingual applicants. Sometimes just knowing a certain language can open doors in customer service.

Get Creative in Localized Marketing

If you have a way with words, you could look to embrace a role in marketing. Global brands increasingly need marketing departments that can localize their messaging and tailor it to their cross-border audiences. Global businesses would not resonate without the ability to speak the language of their target demographic and have a firm grasp on their respective cultural values. Whether it’s blogging, social media, corporate communications, or advertising, your multilingual talents can help businesses speak the language of those they’re marketing to. Native languages aren’t going away anytime soon. As a multilingual professional, your services will always be in demand, whatever the field may be.
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5 Best Undergraduate Majors To Become A K-12 Teacher

There are several different undergraduate majors that can help prepare you to become a good K-12 teacher. Importantly, pre-service teachers need a degree that balances their subject area focus with classroom readiness. For example, Oregon State University offers a double degree program where undergraduate students can earn two degrees at the same time. With this program, students can earn a BA or BS in Education and their primary major. As an incoming student, you should know some of the best primary undergraduate majors that can help you to become a teacher. This way, you can select a degree program that offers strong foundational coursework and teaches effective instructional methods. Read on to discover some of the best undergraduate majors to become a K-12 teacher.

Chemistry

First, chemistry programs are one of the best undergraduate options to become a teacher. Notably, many colleges offer an accredited teacher education program to take alongside your chemistry degree. Alternatively, some students choose to major in education and minor in chemistry. To ensure your program meets proper certification standards, choose a program backed by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. This way, you can fulfill your student teaching requirements and ensure proper certification. Importantly, chemistry teachers often educate future scientists, engineers, and healthcare professionals.

English Language Arts

In addition, English Language Arts (ELA) degrees are another one of the best education programs to become a teacher. With an English degree and the proper certification, you can teach writing, literature, and critical communication skills in K-12 schools. Additionally, many ELA majors also earn a certification to teach English as a Second Language. According to recent data, nearly 1 in 5 kids speak a language other than English at home. Thus, many students need extra support to learn English language fundamentals alongside classroom concepts. Fortunately, many education degree programs that prepare teachers for K-12 education offer ESL emphasis areas and certifications. In short, English is one of the best majors to become a language arts or ESL teacher.

Biology

Next, biology is another one of the top undergraduate majors to pursue a K-12 teaching career. Typically, most states require biology teachers to have a four-year BA or BS in biology. Since public middle and high schools must meet follow these state guidelines, this degree is essential to become a biology teacher. In addition, many private institutions require teachers to hold a four-year biology degree as well. Of course, majoring in biology can allow you to secure another STEM teaching job as well. For example, you may want to teach elementary school science or high school anatomy. Depending on your region’s certification requirements, a biology degree may allow you to teach these subjects. Definitely, biology is one of the best undergraduate majors to become a teacher in the STEM field.

Elementary Education

Moreover, many students earn a general degree in elementary education to kickstart their teaching career. Typically, elementary education majors get certified to work with children in kindergarten through 5th or 6th grade. Depending on the program you choose some of these programs may license students for grades K through 8 as well. Notably, many colleges offer in-person, online, and hybrid degree formats. Additionally, many elementary education degrees include student teaching experience. This way, pre-service teachers are prepared for state licensure.

Social Studies

Furthermore, social studies is another one of the best undergraduate majors to become a teacher. Typically, these programs provide students with an understanding of different cultures. In addition, they usually promote critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. As a social studies teacher, you may be asked to teach on a range of topics. For example, these professionals commonly teach U.S. history, government, or ancient civilizations. Thus, many social studies degree paths focus on anthropology or history. With this background, you can learn the key facts you need to understand the course material. Plus, you can better understand how the events of a particular time period relate to specific groups of people.

There are several best undergraduate majors to become a teacher. First, chemistry is one of the most in-demand teaching subject areas to educate future scientists and doctors. Next, biology is another top undergraduate degree to teach STEM. In addition, you can earn your English degree to teach language arts or ESL. Moreover, many students earn a general elementary education degree to teach younger children. Furthermore, social studies is a great major option to teach in the humanities. Consider these best undergraduate majors to become a teacher.

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Confidentiality And Data Security More Instrumental Than Ever In The Digital Era

The digital era has been an era that has entirely transformed practically every aspect of the world around us and every corresponding industry. In what has been a relatively short time frame, we have seen every part of the world around us be evolved and improved time and again to become bolder and smarter. The more that we delve into this digital era, the more excited and even reliant we become on modern marvels like digitalisation and technological advancement. It is a whole new world – and this is truly just the start.

When it comes to embracing the ever evolving and expanding online landscape that spans the globe today, there is quite a lot to be said about the fact that while we have taken great strides in the right direction, there are always ways that we can improve our approach. And of course, issues like the maintenance and protection of privacy and the like are consistently being brought to all of our attention. The more information and time that we put into this virtual space, the more important it is to protect ourselves and our information online.

The rising concerns surrounding confidentiality online

This is especially true for confidentiality and data security. The rising concerns surrounding confidentiality online have been significant topics for discussion for quite some time. Even so, in recent years the surging utilisation of the worldwide web as it has continued to evolve, function, flourish, and thrive time and again, has been one of the biggest powering forces behind the significant shift in how we approach and understand online privacy and security. We are always improving our approach and always finding ways to enhance and improve it.

Privacy and security more important than ever

In fact, today concerns surrounding confidentiality and data security are more instrumental than ever. At a time where individuals across the board and around the globe spend more time online than they ever have before, there is a lot to be said about the fact that finding our ideal approach to privacy and security online in an exceedingly digitally inclined modern age, has become a priority. The more that we dive into this, the more that we are constantly putting interest and investment into its ongoing enhancement and improvement.

Why this is truly just the tip of the iceberg

There is so much to be said about the fact that whether it is simply learning the ropes for oneself more openly or choosing to visiting the site to learn more about how to fine tune one’s personal confidentiality and data security is more of an active priority than it has ever been. And there is still so much room for enhancement and improvement. While we have seen a better and better approach all the time, this is truly just the tip of the iceberg and the very best is still absolutely yet to come. Data security is going to continue to be important – this is the new norm. And it will likely – if not certainly – continue to be the case always.

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Top Tips To Streamline Your Business Operations

If you speak to any business owner, one of the most common complaints you’ll hear is the seemingly never-ending list of to-do jobs that are an inherent part of running a firm – often tasks that generate no direct financial recompense but instead place a drain on resources.

Of course, while no one would deny the importance of duties like invoicing, Human Resources, or staff training when these responsibilities start eating into your day and prevent you from getting on with more productive and fiscally rewarding work, it can start to have a severe impact on your profitability and efficiency.

If the above sounds in any way familiar, read on for some tried and tested tips used by the experts to streamline business operations and improve productivity.

Invest in accounting software

Payroll, invoicing, and associated accounting duties are some of the most common drains on the available time of business owners. The issue with this is that they don’t, in themselves, generate income for your firm. Thankfully, these days, there is a raft of new, intelligent software that can largely automate most aspects of business accounting and look after everything from issuing client invoices to calculating and paying staff wages.

Better yet, if you integrate your accounting software with an ach debit platform, you can even send and receive payments automatically – removing the stress and hassle of depositing checks or manually chasing customers for payment.

Automate, automate, automate

As well as automated accounting software, there have also been huge advances in other intelligent software solutions that can help you automate many of the more repetitive or time-consuming tasks involved in running your firm and staying on top of your day-to-day responsibilities.

In fact, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are perfectly suited to performing repetitive, monotonous tasks and will help you free up valuable time and resources. The digitalization of business is already well underway and, if you’re not already embracing the revolution, chances are you’ll start falling behind your rivals.

Check online for the full range of available automated solutions – everything from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) apps to automated emailing systems and project management platforms.

Reduce risk and minimize outlay by outsourcing

All businesses go through peaks and troughs in terms of productivity and the amount of work they have on at any given time. Rather than trying to counter this ebb and flow of projects or busy times, you should consider outsourcing aspects of your operations so you can dynamically react to changing markets but still satisfy client demand.

Over the last twenty or so years, there has been a massive growth in the freelancing sector with many businesses now hiring staff on an ad hoc basis, as and when they need them. Moreover, with the tremendous advances made in technology (coupled with vastly quicker 5G mobile and fixed-line connection speeds), there’s now really no reason to employ staff full-time and have them all working under one roof.

Employing freelancers is a very effective way to expand your business without taking on the risk of hiring full-time employees or bearing responsibility for time off, sick days, training, etc.

Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

In our modern, connected age, it’s estimated around 71% of all consumer journeys start with a search – more often than not, on Google, which accounts for just short of 93% of all online search requests.

If you’re to stand any chance of being found by potential clients, you need to ensure your website is being found on the first of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the highly detailed and involved practice of pushing websites up the SERPs using keywords or phrases that are most likely to be used by customers looking for a particular product or service. Having a web marketing and SEO strategy is vital if you want to expand your operations and, perhaps best of all, will give you a virtual sales and marketing presence that works on your behalf at all times.

Brush up your website

There’s little point in having your website ranking high if potential customers can’t quickly surmise what your firm does or what benefits it can provide. To ensure you’re getting your message across quickly and effectively, you should hire the services of a professional web design agency to perform a full audit on your site and its content and verify whether you’re projecting the best image for your firm. You should also include a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section on your site to help answer common queries and reduce the time you and your team spend fielding phone calls.

Invest in VoIP services

Voice over IP phone systems aren’t just cheaper than traditional fixed and mobile solutions – they offer considerable time savings too. For example, voicemails can be handled like other forms of attachment and forwarded to other users with a simple click and drag. VoIP has the potential to revolutionize how you handle your firm’s communications, and like all of these suggestions, it will be able to streamline your business operations well.

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General

Understanding The Pricing Structures of Property Management Software

According to the National Multi Housing Council, over 85% of landlords use some sort of property management software, to help automate their business processes.

With over 10 million independent landlords in the USA alone, the market for property management software is huge.

This massive market has created a gold rush of property management software applications, resulting in a variety of pricing models. It’s important to become familiar with these pricing structures so you can choose the best property management software for your needs—without any surprise costs.

Unit-Based Pricing

This structure is based on how many units you own or manage. Software programs using this structure will charge you on a unit-by-unit basis, or when you reach certain thresholds (10 units, 25 units, 50 units, and so on). This type of pricing becomes more significant the larger you grow your business, with each threshold or unit bringing on more costs. Examples of companies that use this pricing structure are Yardi Breeze and Appfolio.

Monthly Subscription

This is the most common pricing layout across all software companies and is seen frequently in the property management software space, as well. In this structure, you are paying a monthly fee to access the platform. These monthly fees can come in different plans, which typically allow you to use more features on the platform. An example of a company utilizing this pricing structure is Buildium.

Feature-Based Pricing

In the property management software niche, this is by far the most widely used pricing plan. This type of pricing setup requires you to pay for specific features you want to use. These features can range from online rent collection, tenant screening, lease signing, customer service, listing syndication, and other critical features. This pricing structure can be a monthly fee, an annual fee, or a one-time fee.

Unfortunately for landlords, this pricing structure is also primarily used by companies with multiple pricing models. This means that when you see this pricing structure, you are most likely going to have to pay multiple ways. Companies that use this type of pricing plan include Buildium, Appfolio, Yardi Breeze, Tenant Cloud, and Avail.

Onboarding & Setup

Another popular cost option you may come across is paid onboarding and setup. In this payment structure, you pay a one-time fee to get access to the platform and additional onboarding help.

Getting setup with property management software can be time consuming. If you aren’t tech savvy, have several units with leases that need to be uploaded, or simply value having your own account representative to help you get started, you should expect to pay these fees. A few companies that have onboarding and setup fees are Buildium, Appfolio, and TenantCloud.

Freemium

This pricing structure is also widely used by SaaS companies and is no different for property management software companies. It’s an easy way for companies to give new users a taste of what the platform is like before making them pay.

This structure can be presented in a couple different ways. The first is through a free trial, where you will get full access to the platform for a limited number of days, before being asked to pay. The other setup is through a feature-light version of the platform. In this layout, you can do basic functions like add a property or tenant for free, but not use the software in its full capacity without paying. Two companies that use this type of pricing structure are TenantCloud and Avail.

Free

One of the least common pricing structures—but by far the best for your bottom line—is the free model. In this structure, you get complete access to the software without having to pay any monthly subscriptions, setup fees, unit fees, feature based fees, or onboarding and setup fees. You get unlimited access to the software for as long as you want it.

How do they make money? In this structure, you will commonly see minimal fees spread out to tenants. These fees may include the cost of running a screening report when they apply for a rental or small convenience fees for purchasing renter’s insurance or paying rent online each month. These fees are insignificant on an individual level, but when added up across thousands of tenants, they provide a great stream of revenue for the software provider.

 

Choosing the Platform that Meets Your Needs

With a wide variety of options to choose from, it is important to select the software that best meets your needs, both in terms of features and pricing structure. Decide which type of pricing structure is ideal for you before you begin your research and start testing software. Be familiar with the other pricing structures, so you can easily identify them when you are looking into options. This will save you time and money as you dive deeper into your process.