Ever since a Scottish chemist mixed chlorine gas with limestone back in 1799 to create chlorine bleach (sodium hypochiorite), the world has been a cleaner, less dangerous place. This compound quickly caught on as a whitener for clothing and writing paper and later as a mildew remover for washable surfaces.
Chlorine is added to everything from household cleansers, vinyl, plastics, and wood pulp and recycled paper to swimming pools and washing machines. The same chlorine found in bleach is an excellent disinfectant for drinking water. Very small amounts are used to help purify the water supply of many cities in the U.S. and Canada. In the case of chlorinated drinking water, the problem is that chlorine undergoes many changes when added to water, forming small amounts of potentially cancer causing by products such as trihalomethanes.
Are these compounds indeed harmful?
The question has been under study for two decades and the research at this point indicates that chlorinated drinking water probably doesn't increase cancer risk.
Household hazards
Chlorine bleach leaches out the dyes in fabric that is not colorfast, and if not properly diluted, it eats holes through the fabric. It will not remove rust and can discolor clothing washed in water that has a high iron content.
Even more serious are the health hazards associated with chlorine bleach. Never mix chlorine bleach with products that contain ammonia; the fumes caused by these combinations can be lethal. Also avoid combining chlorine bleach with acids, such as vinegar, or other household products containing acids, such as drain openers, toilet bowl cleaners, or rust removers; these blends may also emit hazardous gases. To avoid any problems, check the labels on household detergents for ammonia and acids before adding chlorine bleach to them.
Sensitive to chlorine?
Chlorine is not an allergen, but some people may find that fabrics washed in it can be irritating to their skin. Good substitutes for chlorine bleach in your laundry are the non chlorine bleaches. To help your wash look cleaner, pre treat stains with detergent and presoak clothes that is very dirty. Use the hottest water that your fabrics can stand, and add a little extra detergent to each load.
Chlorine and the environment
Laundry bleach biodegrades harmlessly into oxygen, salt, and water. Unlike some chlorines employed in industry, laundry bleach poses no environmental threat.
Chlorine bleach not only brightens laundry, it also removes mildew from your house's exterior. Always dilute it, using one part bleach to three parts water.
If bleach splashes into your eyes, flush them with water for 15 minutes, then call your doctor. If bleach is swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Immediately drink 180 milliliters (6 ounces) of water, milk, or milk of magnesia. Then call your Poison Control Center.
So together, in that little room where the interview is to be held, it's a dance together to get the right relationship for both to succeed.
Here are some key steps you can take, before during and after the interview to ensure you have the very best opportunity for success!
1. Be clear on the useful experiences you've had and be prepared to share them. Interviewers want to know all about you and your capabilities, so share with them those occasions that you have had successes and why. In advance of this testing experience, if you have the time, set out to gain experiences you'll be able to share, for the value they will create for you.
2. Think about the open questions that are coming. Your interviewer will want to discover things about you, so be prepared for those famous six open questions that will no doubt show up. Questions starting with 'Who', What', 'Where', 'Why', 'When' and 'How', not forgetting about my personal favorite, 'Tell me about...'
3. Whatever you've heard, use 'I' a lot in your answers. There's a bit of a movement in some places to try to leave this key word out. trust me, using 'I' is manna to your interviewers ears, helps them a lot and if you don't, they may wonder just what you aren't saying.
4. When asked be quite frugal - at first! It's tempting, especially when you get asked something you know the answer to, to start with a flourish and end, well, sometime in the future. Beware, your interviewer is human and can only absorb so much. If they are any good, they will be lining up a next question on hearing what you have said. So, take your time, give three relevant and good points within a story about the issue and stop. They will follow up and ask more, if they want or need to.
5. Collect your thoughts for a moment. If you find you have a question that requires a little consideration, ask for a few seconds to gather your thoughts and have a little think! It's quite a good tactic to mix those questions where you need to think with those you respond quickly to. Some of the time, taking your time in such circumstances demonstrates confidence (ironically), capability (takes time with decisions), and courage (in the face of an interview, that's excellent!), so be prepared to use a small wait as a positive step and not a weak one!
6. Build a relationship with your interviewer. If you've had the time beforehand (the 'coffee and introductions' session usually gives you the space), chat casually and in a friendly manner with your interviewer and other assessors. Building a relationship so that your interview is more of a conversation is a valuable skill and can be of value all through any assessment center you are involved in, not to say for future opportunities - if you need them!
7. Ask them something too. Using the relationship and your confident approach means that there will be useful times where you can find out more about the role, the conditions and the workplace. It's a good sign if you feel comfortable enough to do this and asking good 'discovery' questions yourself will make you score well too.
8. However it goes, make a friend. Sometimes, the value you can get in a friendly close, at the end of an interview, has unimaginable value. Those moments where you cement a relationship can make all the difference at those times where you don't have an input (like later in the day when they discuss and compare the candidates) - so make the most of any interaction time you have, even at the end of your interview.
9. Treat it like a chat. The more you can get this interaction like a cosy chat over the fence with a neighbor, the better it will be for you. Your interviewer will have a compliant candidate who ticks all the right boxes and you too will find it easier, because you're in your comfort zone. Not to say you relax too much though - there's focused work to be done. By being relaxed you will ensure that what you need to say come all the more easily to you.
10. Get interviews in context. Though there are often other activities in play when you are being assessed, the interview is a vital component. So getting this right will build your confidence for the whole experience - and that will enable you to show off your full potential as well as the skills you can demonstrate already.
There you go - easy steps in generating the result you want from any interview you need to get involved in. The biggest challenge is treating it as a good, fun experience. With these ideas to help you, don't be surprised if it is just that!
Both Joshua Poyoh & Martin Haworth are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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Martin Haworth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Interview Questions and Team Building. (c) 2007 "How To Land Your Dream Job". You can have the job of your dreams. It takes application, attention and information to get you there, young or old. There's all you need to help you at Martin Haworth's website,. Martin Haworth's top article generates over 3350000 views. to your Favourites.