| How to Become an Optometrist Posted: 28 Jul 2017 05:00 PM PDT Optometrists diagnose vision problems, prescribe corrective lenses, and prescribe eye medications. They differ from ophthalmologists, who can also perform eye surgeries, and from opticians, who design, fit, and dispense lenses. To become an optometrist, you should get a bachelor's in science, go into an optometry degree program, and pass all your licensing exams. EditFinishing Your Education - Obtain a bachelor's degree in pre-med or science. Before you can apply to an optometry program, you need to complete an undergraduate degree. Most optometry schools require coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, English, and mathematics. A pre-med degree or degree in a biological science will help prepare you for med school.[1]
- Talk to your adviser to determine what courses you should be taking, and check the requirements at the optometry programs you plan on applying to.
- Get experience through shadowing. Shadowing is a great way for you to get hands-on experience in the field of optometry. This gives you a real idea of how the career works and what an optometrist does. Shadowing can help you determine if this career is right for you.[2]
- Some people will observe optometrists with patients, and others may assist around the office.
- You can try to get a job or volunteer your time.
- Complete a Doctor of Optometry Program. Your program will include both core classes in a classroom setting and hands-on experience through clinics. These programs take four years to complete and must be completed at an accredited optometry school. [3]
- You will take courses in biological sciences focused on the eye.
EditGetting the Right Certifications - Pass the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). This test is required when applying to accredited optometry programs. Performing well on the test will increase your likelihood for acceptance. The tests will assess your knowledge of science, along with your comprehension and reasoning skills. Tests are administered year-round at Prometric Test Centers.[4][5]
- Consider enrolling in an OAT preparatory course in order to perfect your test-taking skills and improve your overall performance.
- Take the licensing exam. Every state and country require that individuals become licensed in order to practice optometry. You must have completed your O.D. (Doctor of Optometry) program before obtaining a license. Additionally, you will have to complete an exam given by a national board of professionals.[6]
- The exam will contain a written and clinical portion as part of the licensure process.
- Some states also require that you take an additional examination before getting your license in that particular state.
- Continue to meet the requirements to renew your license. You will probably have to keep gaining knowledge throughout your career to meet the requirements to renew your license. In the US, all states require that optometrists have to take continuing education classes to keep their license up to date.[7]
- Find out what your state or country requires to keep your license up to date.
EditStarting Your Career - Decide whether to join a practice or start your own. Optometry is a growing field with good job prospects. Most optometrists do not have problems finding a job. You should decide if you want to join a practice or start your own. Many people work alongside another optometrist for a while before opening their own practice.[8]
- You may find jobs through contacts you've made in school, through your shadowing, or on job websites or mailing lists.
- Complete a postgraduate residency program if you want. One way to advance your career and make yourself even more marketable is to become a specialist. Once you finish your four-year degree, you can do an additional one-year residency for a specialization. Residency programs allow optometrists to gain practice working in the field under the guidance of professionals and to advance their skills.[9]
- Residency programs should be recognized by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE).
- Examples of residency programs include ones in low vision rehabilitation, pediatric optometry, geriatric optometry, ocular disease, and family practice.
- Get certified by a national organization if you wish. As you go through your career, you may want to try to get certified by a national organization. There are multiple organizations that offer certifications or fellowships. To receive one of these prestigious honors, you must meet strict guidelines and demonstrate your passion to the field and patients.[10]
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| How to Speak Professionally on the Phone Posted: 28 Jul 2017 09:00 AM PDT Emails, live chat, web inquirers, and social media all have their place, but the phone is still the preferred communication choice for many when it comes to business. How many times have you spoken with someone on the phone and thought how unprofessional he or she was? Make sure others are not saying the same about you. Here's everything you need to know about handling calls in a professional manner. EditAnswering the Phone - Keep a pen and paper next to you. Keep track of calls by writing down the person's name, the time he or she called, and the reason. It's best to write the information on a phone memo pad with carbon. This keeps the calls organized in one place, and when it isn't for you, you can give a copy to the intended recipient.
- Answer the phone in as few rings as possible. No one likes to be forced to wait. Answering quickly shows the caller, who is more than likely to be a customer, that your company is efficient. It also lets the caller know that his or her call is important.
- Identify yourself and the company. For example, say, "Thank you for calling West Coast Drywall and Paint. This is Brooke speaking." Likewise, ask the caller who they are and where they are calling from if they don't offer those details to you, especially if your company has a strict policy against unsolicited calls.
- Ask the right questions. Gather as much information as possible. This helps identify unsolicited calls. Though when questioning others, it could come across as accusatory, especially if you have to ask a number of questions. You don't want to be like a jackhammer, so pace yourself using a calm and moderate tone.
- Caller: "Can I speak to Bill?"
- Respondent: "Can I ask who is speaking?"
- Caller: "Tom."
- Respondent: "Where are you calling from?"
- Caller: "England."
- Respondent: "The company name, please?"
- Caller: "It's a personal call."
- Respondent: "Is Bill expecting your call?"
- Caller: "No."
- Respondent: "OK let me try his line for you."
- Assume that someone from your organization is listening in on the conversation. Companies that monitor incoming calls usually say so in an initial voice recording. Even if they're not, thinking that they are can help you use your most professional voice. If they are, you may have the opportunity to hear what you sound like on the phone and make improvements, if necessary.
EditTransferring the Call - Ask before putting someone on hold and wait for his or her response. A big problem with many companies is that they leave callers on hold for too long. Except for Zen masters, most people do not like to be on hold. There is also the tendency to think they've been on hold twice as long as they really have. Taking them off as soon as possible can greatly minimize having an irate caller on the other end when you do come back!
- Make sure the intended recipient wants to take the call. When the caller asks for a particular person, tell him or her you will "try the person's line" before putting them on hold. Then check that the recipient is a) available and b) ready to speak to them. If not, then be sure to take a detailed message.
- Use correct grammar. Always use "Jane and I" for your subject and "Jane and me" when it's a direct object (i.e. "Jane and I went to the store" not "He talked to Jane and me"). Don't leave the word "at" dangling at the end of a sentence. For example, "I do not know where it is at" is incorrect. Usually, you can just remove "at" from the sentence entirely. "I don't know where it is" is the correct way.
- Pay attention to your voice. It's through your tone that the caller hears your true intentions. Whether in phone or person, this conveys more than the words that come out of your mouth. The key to professionally talking on the phone is to smile inwardly!
- This point of smiling hit home with the senior management of a call center, and he placed little mirrors at each of the agents' stations that said: "What you see is what they hear!"
- Use the caller's name, whenever possible. It adds a personal touch and shows that you're listening. "I'm sorry John, but Mark isn't available at the moment. Can I help you with anything or take a message?"
- Identify yourself first when calling another person. For example, say, "This is Mary Hunter calling for Louis Meyer." However, don't be long-winded. In other words, get right to the point without going into unnecessary details.
- End the conversation professionally. With sincerity in your voice say, "Thanks for calling. Have a great day!"
EditHandling Difficult Calls - Practice active listening skills. Don't argue or interrupt the customer. Even if the person is mistaken or you know what he or she is going to say next. Allow the person to get what's off his or her chest. Listening well builds rapport and can help greatly in diffusing a heated caller.[1]
- Lower your voice and speak in an even tone. If the client gets louder, begin speaking more slowly with a steady voice. A calm demeanor (versus agitated or excited) can go far in settling a person down. Remaining unaffected by the client's volume or tone can help an angry or upset person to get a hold of him or herself.
- Establish rapport through empathy. Place yourself in the client's shoes. Let the caller know that you hear his or her frustration and grievance. Doing this alone can help greatly in calming a person down. It's called "verbal nodding" and it helps the caller feel understood.
- Avoid getting upset or angry. If the client is verbally abusive or swearing, breathe deeply and continue as if you didn't hear it. Responding in the same manner will not solve anything, and it could escalate the situation. Instead, remind the client that you want to help and that you are his or her best chance of resolving the matter – often, this statement will defuse the situation.[2]
- Avoid taking it personally. Stick with the issue at hand and do not get personal, even if the customer does. Remember that the customer doesn't know you, and he or she is just venting frustration at you as a representative. Gently guide the conversation back to the issue and how you intend to resolve it, and try to ignore personal comments.
- Remember you're interacting with a human. All of us have bad days. Maybe the person had a fight with his or her spouse, just got a traffic ticket or has had a run of bad luck. To one degree or another, we've all been there. Try to make their day better by staying calm and unruffled -- it'll make you feel good, too!
- Don't chew gum, eat, or drink while on the phone with a caller.
- Avoid using "ah," "um," "like" and other meaningless "filler" words or sounds.
- Don't use the mute button; it should only be used when additional help is needed from a supervisor or training coach.
- Remember that not everyone understands the ABC's of professionalism. Still be courteous even when it's not reciprocal.
- Customer representatives should take a five or 10-minute break after handling a tough call.
- After handling a problem situation, keep in mind that the next caller is another person. Let go of any emotions that may have been stirred up in you from the previous caller.
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| How to Clean a Blackened or Burnt Coffee Pot Posted: 28 Jul 2017 01:00 AM PDT Forgetting to turn off your coffeemaker before you leave the house in the mornings or leaving coffeemakers on overnight can have adverse effects on the look of your coffeemaker. Leaving the pot resting on its burner for too long can lead to scorch marks and discoloration at the bottom of your pot. Not only does it look unsightly, but it can also give your routine cup of joe a bad taste. EditUsing Ice to Clean Your Coffee pot - Add salt and ice to your coffee pot. Start by giving your coffee pot a good rinse. Then place ½ cup of salt into the coffee pot. You will need this to help alleviate the discoloration and burnt marks. After that, add two cups of crushed ice, or enough ice to fill the pot halfway.[1]
- Add water and lemon to the salt and ice mixture.[2] Add a cup of water to the salt and ice in your coffee pot. Follow the water by squeezing the juice of 1/4 of a lemon into the pot.
- When adding additional water, it is important that it is cold. Hot water mixed with the ice will cause the pot to crack or shatter.
- Swish the solution around in the pot. As you swish and swirl, you will begin to see the burned brown layer lift from the surface. Watch the stain and the water to measure the improvement of the stain and whether or not it's removing.[3]
- When the water becomes too dark for you to see a difference in the stain and/or discoloration, empty the coffee pot and start the process of adding salt, ice, water, and lemon juice to the pot to continue the process.[4]
- Continue to swish the mixture in multiple directions. Keep in mind that severe burns will need more time to soak in the solution so be patient and trust the process.[5]
- Wash the coffee pot as you would normally before use. To avoid making yourself a salty or sour cup of coffee, rinse your pot thoroughly once the discoloration is visibly removed. Once you have dried the coffee pot out with a soft cloth, you are ready to use it again and make a delicious cup of coffee.
EditUsing Vinegar to Clean Your Coffee Pot - Remove film or burned stains with vinegar. White vinegar is known for its extra special cleaning properties and is great for stubborn blackened or burnt stains on coffee pots. Fill the pot to the brim with white vinegar. Let it sit overnight to soak.
- Pour the vinegar into a large bowl. Place that bowl to the side for later, and wash the coffee pot out with hot soapy water. The majority of the brown stains the coffee pot accrued should be gone completely.[6]
- Soak the pot again if stains are still evident. Fill the coffee pot with the saved vinegar and allow it to soak overnight. Keep repeating the previous step until all of the stubborn stains have been removed and the coffee pot looks like new again. [7]
EditUsing Baking Soda to Clean Your Coffee Pot - Use baking soda and water to clean your coffee pot. Pour one cup of baking soda into the pot and completely fill it with water. Turn on the coffee maker to heat both the water and baking soda in the pot to a rolling boil.[8]
- Begin cleaning your coffee pot. Remove the coffee pot from the heat. Allow the mixture to settle and stand for about 10 minutes. After it's cooled down a bit, use a soft cloth or non-abrasive scrubbing pads to gently scrub the pot.[9] Be careful of the pot's hot sides as you clean it.
- Clean remaining stains by forming a paste in the pot. If there are stains left over even after the baking soda/water boil, take the pot and pour almost all of the mixture out of it. Add more baking soda to the pot to create a paste. Scrub the pot out with the paste. Wash it out thoroughly when the pot is stainless to prepare it for use.[10]
- If the pot is severely discolored you may have to repeat this several times, but eventually it will come clean.
- The swish motion is important. Make sure while you're swishing that you are doing this over all the discolored areas. Missing areas will not get the pot entirely clean.
- The natural methods detailed above are effective on both glass and steel coffee pots. Find the method that works best for you!
- Do not use cleanser, although it seems faster. Coffee pots often have lips that could hide residue from the cleanser even when it is rinsed. That residue can end up in your coffee.
- Avoid using abrasive scrubbers to dry or clean coffeepots. Soft cloths and non-abrasive scrubbers will help prevent scratches forming on the glass.
EditThings You'll Need - A discolored coffee pot
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 2 cups ice
- 1 lemon
- Cold water
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge
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