Your Job Resume - A Good First Impression?

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and in today’s job market, that one chance is more important than ever.  When you find a job posting or ad that appeals to you, count on the fact that it has probably appealed to a couple dozen other people at the exact same moment.  Once u send in or e-mail your resume, you are starting out by fighting to get to the top of the heap and be noticed.  So how does this happen?

Most employers will tell you that they want to be pretty much instantly impressed by your resume, so it is very important to word it in such a way that it won’t become a two point shot towards the nearest wastebasket.  You’ve got a matter of seconds to make that impression, so what do you do?

For starters you can personalize your resume and cover letter.  A lot of people don’t like this, because it takes time, and when you’re trying to blanket 50 resumes out a day, you just can’t be bothered.  But it works; a resume with the company’s name and job titled listed as the objective is an eye catcher.  You also need to tailor your talents and abilities to the company you are applying to (i.e. an IT firm doesn’t care if your sales techniques are top notch).

You may also want to change the format of your resume from chronological, which lists your last several jobs and the responsibilities that went along with them, to functional, which negates company histories in favor of the listing of specific skills and responsibilities that you are versed in.  Functional resumes may also be very attractive options for somebody re-entering the work force after an absence of several years, such as a stay at home mom. 

If you opt for the functional approach, load up the first half of your resume with as many pertinent facts about yourself as possible.  You want to grab the employer’s attention and make him want to read further down the page.  Resist the urge to be cutesy or amusing in your resume, hiring managers are very serious about this and such levity will not help you to be taken seriously at all.

Use a larger font (11 or 12 pt.).  This not only makes it easier to read (especially after the poor guy has spent the day combing through these things, but it also makes the information provided jump off the page a little better.

If you have a considerable work history, do your best to whittle it down into something that will fit on one page.  Two page resumes do not have a track record of any greater success.  You don’t have to give them the whole Bible when just a couple of verses will do.

 Use bullet points instead of paragraphs.  Most people are drawn to lists.  We love lists.  So make a detailed list of your achievements and talents designed to impress.

Highlight past successes.  Focus on achievements, things you have done for your previous employer that will be impressive.  They are wondering why they should hire you…..go ahead and give them a good answer.  It isn’t being presumptuous to give them what you know what they want from you.

Know thyself.  Know your strengths.  You are a unique creation, with unique talents and abilities.  Figure out what those are and use them to your strongest advantage. 

Do not proof read your own resume.  Once you have gotten it into a form that you find acceptable, pass it a round to some friends, especially any friends who might be hiring managers or business owners, and get some feedback.  You will be surprised at what you overlook even after reading through it a number of times.  Take it from someone who has sent out resumes only to spot a mistake just as his finger hit the send button.  From that point forward, the first impression is made.

Consider a professional resume writing service.  That works in many cases, although this author wouldn’t know anything about it.  I am a full time writer, and having a resume written by somebody else would not create the great first impression that I am going for.  If you are so fortunate as to be able, let somebody with a more objective eye on your career and achievements take a stab at representing you on paper.

Taking the time to craft an impressive resume, illustrating your greatest talents and showcasing a solid body of work will go a long way toward securing the position you are seeking.

Water Damage

Writing Articles That Sell...

So you like to write.  You’d like to do more of it.  You’d like to make a few bucks in the process.  And if you could pay your mortgage writing, you would.  Well, obviously the only way to do that is to make sure that what you write is actually of interest to enough people to make it financially feasible. 

Obviously our initial inclination is to write about things that interest us.  Which is fine, but profitable only if what interests you is also of massive interest to scores of other people.  One of my interests in miniature aeronautics, or model rocketry, and while I find the hobby fascinating, any article I write on the matter would probably sit largely ignored online and refused flat out for print (unless it was in the two or three hobby related magazines that maybe five people in North Dakota read). 

You need to look for subjects that are of interest to the most people, and write your articles or materials accordingly.  For me, I’ve found a veritable gold mine in writing material related to our nation’s current bad economy, such as how to vacation on a budget, live well on a budget, create wealth in an economic downturn, etc.  People flock to that because now more than ever, folks want to know how to get the most out of every dollar that they spend.

People not only read these articles, but they also get picked up and reposted on other blogs, directories, websites, etc. increasing your viewership and readership, and if it’s a paid gig, putting a few more cents in your pocket.

You can also peruse the headlines looking for subject matter inspiration.  Just today I found a headline article on Yahoo entitled “10 Reasons Couples Therapy May Not Work For You”. While I have no desire to write my own article on that subject, a quick glance at the side bar will reveal several other related subjects such as “10 Things You Didn’t know About Sex”, “A Prettier, Happier Life”….other subjects that may spark inspiration for an article.

You can also pick a subject such as “vacation” or “cars” and do any number of variations on the subject, such as “10 Best cars For under $20,000” or “Prime Vacation Spots in the Southeast”.  I have to write about four articles a day, so picking a subject that may be successfully mined keeps me focused and on target.

You can also break down articles into series.  Look for elements in a specific article that may lend themselves to additional installments broken down by gender, age, location, income level, political class….the possibilities are endless.   I have wrangled as much as a week’s worth of articles out of a single subject before.

Avoid biased writing.  Articles that take only one side of a given issue (particularly if it is a controversial one) decreases your opportunity for publication by exactly half…namely the half that will agree with you.  If you take on a subject that has more than one point of view, ideally give equal time to all sides.  That way you stand a much better chance of it getting picked up by more sources.

You also always want to include a link to your home page or blog.  As the article is redistributed, hopefully your link will be kept intact.  This increases link juice to your site and raises your visibility in the eyes of the Google search engines.

Unfortunately there is no way to insure that those who repost will extend the courtesy of leaving your link intact.  Almost every day I find articles of mine that have been rewritten slightly, links removed, and credited to somebody else.  Don’t bother trying to chase down and deal with these crooks because you’ll end up spending your entire day doing so and not getting anything else done.

Figure out how to post the same article in multiple sources.  Many article directories don’t like duplicate content, and if your article is posted elsewhere, it will get flagged and refused.  However, posting the same article to multiple directories, with similar turnaround times between submission and acceptance, makes it 

much more likely to be able to get an article on several different sources at once.

Now go therefore and write well….

Water Extraction

Making Your Career Termination Proof...

If you have a job or have managed to land one in the current economic climate, consider yourself lucky.  For every one like you there are thousands of others who are not so fortunate.  Layoffs, terminations, firings are all becoming commonplace as companies seek to save every dollar they can.  How do you avoid the human resources axe when it comes swinging through your department?

I am a big believer in doing all you can to make yourself absolutely irreplaceable to your hiring managers.  I landed my job as a writer for a basement flooding / water damage lead generation company about a year ago, and I have worked ever since to make sure they did not regret or rethink that decision. 

For starters, and this should be a no brainer……be on time.  Every day.  If you can manage a few minutes early, that is even better.   In addition, don’t sprint for your car the instant the five o’clock whistle sounds.  Putting in a little extra time always looks good to the front office.

Know your goals, then exceed them.  I’m a writer for a water damage restoration company, and after a few days I began to get an idea of just how much writing I could get done in a day.  After that, it became a matter of meeting that goal and exceeding it each and every workday.  If I didn’t quite make it one day, I more than made up for it the next. 

Dress nicely, at least one step beyond the lowest acceptable dress code for your place of business…look sharper than the rest of them out there .  There is a commonly held belief that if you look successful then you will be successful.  Do so.

Take ownership of your department as its own little company within a company, with you as the CEO and overseeing all elements such as productivity, profit and loss, inventory, etc.   And stay on top of it.  The more responsibility you assume (even if it isn’t official), the harder you will work to make everything happen.

Be responsible for your own career advancement.  Everybody else will be too preoccupied with their own climb up the corporate ladder to look out for you.  Take charge of your future, don’t be afraid to ask for new responsibilities and duties as you feel you can effectively handle them.

Keep a positive attitude about your job and your company.  Nothing derails a career faster than talking negatively (it will get back to the front office) or having an irrational fear of being displaced.  If we are that concerned about losing our jobs, eventually we will end up conducting ourselves in a manner that makes sure it happens.  Some call this a self-fulfilling prophecy.  I call it regrettable and sad.

Don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor for responsibility.  When I came on board at my company as Content Director, one of the first things that struck me was the shoddy writing on our company’s websites.  As I got acclimated to the job, I began asking if I could re-write the website copy.  I was given the responsibility and the websites got a fresh new informational face.

Again, at the risk of utilizing a tired cliché’, be a team player.  Make sure everybody knows that you are on board and in it for the long haul.  Snide comments and backhanded swipes at your co-workers accomplish nothing except making you look extremely suspect to the higher ups.

Become the face of your company.  Look for opportunities to represent your company at conventions, trade shows, industry events, whatever presents itself.  There is no single better way to solidify your good corporate image.

Improve yourself at every opportunity.  Take course and training outside of work to help better equip you for the responsibilities you have, as well as the responsibilities you may soon inherit.  If your supervisor knows that you are taking time off the clock to work on improving your skills, he will not let that information pass by unnoticed.

Learn to love change.  With new technology rolling off the assembly line almost daily, it is inevitable that eventually you are going to be handed something that makes you go “huh?”.  Determine that you are not going to be intimidated by the thought of learning how to do something a different way.  Employees that scoff at or resist such change run the risk of being seen as hindrances to company growth.

We can't totally avoid the possibility of termination, but we sure can cut it down a long way.

Aftermarket Mods And The Incredible Shrinking Value....

It never failed.  Throughout my three year tenure as a car salesperson, I would routinely see young folks bring in their cars to trade, cars that were tricked out with all manner of aftermarket wheels, dams, skirts, spoilers, sound systems, custom interiors, all of which amounted to thousands of dollars.  Soon thereafter I would witness the look of abject shock on their faces when told that the ten thousand dollars’ worth of mod work they had done amounted in little more than a one or two thousand dollar trade in.

Sorry, but while it may be appealing to you, the notion that many other folks are going to want a 1991 Acura tricked out to the gills is a fairly imaginative one.  It just isn’t going to happen.  If you insist on making such sweeping alterations to your vehicle, then be prepared to hang on to it for a very long time, or to receive very little in the way of cash for it if and when you decide to sell it.  Don’t look at aftermarket parts as an investment that you will ever recoup.  At the end of the day, pouring your money into the fire is only a slightly less entertaining proposition than attaching them to your car.

That being said, can you modify your car and not take a financial beating later on?  Of course, there is no law that says “Thou shalt leave thy car stock”.  Make some changes, and make it uniquely yours.  The trick is to not make any change that you cannot undo when the time comes to trade in the old sled.

Among the car modifications that won’t hurt (and may actually help) the value of your car:

Rims or custom wheels of high quality and appropriate size.  Let’s face it; most stock wheels are pretty darn ugly.  A nice set of custom rims can improve your car’s overall aesthetic quite nicely.

Navigation systems.  These are becoming almost standard equipment, so the addition of such is a welcome one.

DVD players, sound systems, or satellite radio.  See above. 

Leather seats.  Aftermarket leather is in many cases nicer than stock leather interiors.  A well done leather finish can add much in the way of appeal and value to your car.

Sunroofs or moon roofs can also add value, provided they were installed by a qualified tech, not your cousin Bubba and his three magic hammers.

Of course for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and the fact is that most mods done to cars nowadays are fiberglass monstrosities that would make the T-Birds from GREASE roll over in their collective cinematic graves.  Just a few of the more infamous:

Overpowered stereos or boom box systems.  If they are that obnoxious at the stop light, who actually thinks normal people would want to pay cash for the privilege?

Aftermarket superchargers or turbochargers.  You only install these for one reason.  How do you say “rode hard, put up wet”?

Loud exhaust systems and lowered suspensions, because they violate not only good taste but most likely the manufacturer’s warranty.

Paint jobs of an unusual or textured finish.  This makes it all but impossible to repaint or touch up or match in the event of an accident.

Some also suggest avoiding illegal window tints, however, most tinting can be reversed or removed for a nominal cost.  My last car had illegal tint, but the police ignored me for three years….until the evening before I went out and traded it.  Fortunately the cop had a sense of humor and let me off…it is a fairly useless thing to get ticketed and fined for.

So enjoy your car, make it your own, but don’t go so far that somebody else cannot eventually make it their own as well.

Water Clean Up

Take A Hike, Buster (The Benefits Of Walking)

Turn on the TV at pretty much any time day or night, and you will see numerous commercials for the latest guaranteed get-fit plan or device.  Guaranteed to burn off the extra pounds in less than 90 days for the low low price of only $19.95.  Granted most of these are fly by night operations (how many AbFlexes or Ab Blasters from the early 90’s are still around today?).

I won’t even discuss the so-call miracle diets where you can eat whatever you wish and still watch the weight fall off.  There are just no short cuts for getting in shape, either be prepared to part with some sweat or forget it.

That said, you don’t have to sweat a LOT to get the job done.  Out of all the exercise programs out there, the single most effective way to get yourself in better shape is by simply putting one foot in front of the other.

Yes, that’s right children, walking.  Nothing beats just getting out and putting yourself in motion for a half hour or so every day.  Don’t believe me?  Well, consider: I went to college for four years in a small town where our cars stayed parked for most of the week and we walked everywhere we went.   A year after graduation I was sporting a tummy that made me look six months gone with a lawn mower…..all because my lifestyle went from “Come on, guys, it’s just a stroll across town!”  to a more leisurely “Honey, have you seen that remote?   Oh and while yer up, get me a sammich!”

Walking is one of the most simple and effective ways to lose weight, remain in shape, and maintain your general good health.  Walking at a brisk pace for a period of 20 to 30 minutes three times a week increases the oxygen intake to your blood and strengthens your heart.  It also improves your blood circulation and decreases blood pressure (which for some of us is a major blessing). 

You can also burn up to 100 calories per mile.  There are other ways to burn off a similar number of calories in a fairly short time, but knowing that kids might be reading this, I believe I shall postpone.

Walking also slows down and holds off problems such as arthritis and joint diseases, as well a building stronger bone structure to reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis developing.  If you fear becoming a hunched over old man as much as I do, this is good news.

I would also mention that walking helps relieve both constipation and menstrual pain, but I don’t think we need to go any further than that. 

I will go on to say though that walking helps you sleep better, releasing endorphins that are a natural tranquilizer, reduces the risk of breast cancer, and increases overall energy levels.

If you’re a cheapskate like me, it also means that you do not have to buy a lot of expensive equipment, just a comfortable pair of walking shoes.   If you can maintain that thrice weekly schedule, replace your shoes every five or six months to ensure the best possible support for your feet.

Walking is also unique from other exercises in that it is actually social…you can do your walking with family, or a friend, groups, actual packs, or whatever suits you.  And anybody can do it, because it does not require a special ability or drive.  We all walk every day; it is just a matter of making it a priority.

Walking is not hampered by weather.  You can go outside on pretty days, and if it is raining, you can go to a mall or indoor track.  Many shopping malls have early bird hours for folks who want to come in wand walk before the shops open for business.

So get out and walk, I’m right behind you…..as soon as somebody helps me out of this chair…..

Flooded Basement

To Protect And To Serve....Really?

I respect law enforcement, I really do.  How can you not respect those men and women in blue who go to work every day not knowing if they will come home to their families every night, and doing so for a salary that is remarkably low given the inherent danger involved.  It is not a job for the faint of heart, as this author discovered after actually applying to our local county force and backing out of the process before it was final.  I concluded that I just didn’t have whatever “oomph” it required to become a law enforcement officer (who couldn’t grow up watching ADAM-12 and not at least think about becoming a cop?).

Not that I don’t find it fascinating.  Detective work looks as though it would be a challenging and rewarding career, as does forensics (I never missed an episode of QUINCY, either).  Combine that with SWAT teams or other special divisions within the force and you are looking at a career that is rife with possibilities.

Unfortunately, to get there you have to work your way up through the ranks, and unlike other rank based organizations, such as the military, too many of the bad apples turn up and remain in those bottom ranks, namely, the street cops and others that interact most directly with the public. And this is where law enforcement as a whole gets a bad rap.

The last time I was pulled over was in Duluth GA, for speeding (45 in a 35 zone).  I went to court in the vain hope that maybe the ticket could be reduced or thrown out.  After meeting with the solicitor, it was agreed that I would pay the fine but that no points would be applied toward my record or insurance.  I thought I had accomplished something, but when the judge came in and started hearing cases, it became obvious that everybody in the courtroom was offered the same deal.  It was easy to conclude that all these tickets were given out in the name of generating revenue, not looking out for the safety of the town’s citizens. 

Upon closer inspection I discovered that the road passing through town drops from 45 to 35 for a whopping half a mile, then goes back up to 45.  The patrol units line up in literal hordes right there in that brief stretch and are able to nail “speeders” by the dozen.  That half mile stretch was a veritable money machine for the town, more commonly referred to as a speed trap.

That said, I am not a huge fan of the radar gun.  Despite being the victim of it a time or twelve, it just annoys me that we pay any salary at all for guys to sit in their cars by the roadside and shoot fish in a barrel, most often not somebody who was intentionally breaking the law, but rather increased their speed momentarily and accidentally.  I used to drive around a lot during the day and I discovered something….if you spend any amount of time at all on the streets, you will see more than enough moving violations to satisfy anybody’s quota.  Get out and do some work and stop spending your days lounging in your car by the side of the road like teenagers cruising back in the 80s.

I’ve also become a huge fan of dashboard cameras, as it does an admirable job of stifling questionable behavior.  There’s just something about knowing you’re being filmed that makes you act your best.  Now if they would only figure out how to put such cameras on motorcycles…that might have prevented my unfortunate run in with an officer who found it necessary to pull me over and make up a charge on the side of the road.  I doubt he would have pulled such a stunt if he knew it would be on permanent record.

And then there was this morning, as I was driving to work; I was passed by a police unit, way out of his jurisdiction (obviously on his way to work), doing about thirty miles per hour over the posted speed limit.  I don’t care if you drive fast, but if so you had better be on a call, as in displaying some blue lights…otherwise you are just breaking the law.

Clearly, law enforcement has its issues, namely with young largely uneducated officers who obtain a badge and a gun and instantly see themselves as their precinct’s answer to Dirty Harry or Lethal Weapon’s Martin Riggs.

Perhaps the notion of raising the standard for police officer candidates should be revisited.  The number of officers on the street is important, but the quality of those officers means a great deal as well.

Dallas Community Center Closed Due To Water Damage....

A broken water pipe in the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in Dallas, TX sent water flooding through the ceiling and walls, closing down a federally funded Head Start program as well as an administrative building following the recent February ice storm.  While there is no current financial estimate of the water damage, the center’s director of development, Sarah Squires, said it was “substantial”.

The Center’s administrative offices were closed and the Head Start program was relocated following the flooding, which occurred late last week.  The school lost office furniture and equipment, books and computers, with damages to contents alone estimated at nearly $100,000. 

Part of the problem, says executive Director Gayla Naves, is that with preschools, everything is low to the ground and as such, much more susceptible to even minimal flood waters.  “So we’ve lost everything. Unfortunately the water main broke over our supply closet. All of the curriculum is gone. And to a school, that’s one of the most precious resources.”

The school and center were closed at the time the pipe burst, but a passerby noticed the water coming out from under the door and called authorities.  Apparently a pipe to the hot water heater broke after a door to the utility area on the roof blew open during the recent ice storm, exposing the piping to bitterly cold temperatures for an extended period. 

Squires said that they hope to have the building, which also houses food programs and senior citizen activities, will reopen by the beginning of June.  The Wesley-Rankin center is an outreach ministry associated with the United Methodist Church that has been serving West Dallas for more than 75 years. “We’re not going to let a little water slow us down,” Squires said.

Repairs may be complicated by the fact that the 23 year old building may require significant work to bring it up to current building codes.

Is Summer camp A Thing Of The Past?

Many adults have fond (or not so fond) memories of going to summer camp when they were kids.  The chance to spend a few weeks each summer away from your parents, in the company of others your own age…it was almost a rite of passage.  The summer camp was immortalized on film in the Bill Murray comedy MEATBALLS as well as the FRIDAY THE 13^TH slasher movie franchise.

You don’t hear as much about summer camps anymore….at least I don’t.  And since I have three children you’d think the subject would have come up at least once in the 19 years I’ve been a parent.  Day camps, sure….drop your child off in the morning and pick them up after work…no problem.  But pack up your kid and send him off into the great unknown for a period of weeks…..they still do that?

Yes, they do, and thousands of kids go every year.  And it is something to consider, because the experience provided can be one that will have long lasting effects.  But first of all, you need to ask yourself some questions.

What do you want your child to glean from the summer camp experience?  Do you want them to learn new skills?  Become more social?  Develop more self-confidence?

Are there any special interests your child wants to explore?  Are there any limitations, socially, physically, etc, that should be considered?  And do you want a very structured organization or a situation where your child can learn and proceed at their own pace?

You do have your choice of what type of camp to send your child to.  You can opt for a coed camp, or all boys, or all girls…and that’s pretty much it.  Coed camps obviously allow for a lot of interaction and mingling…..whether this is a good thing or not is your call.  

Sleepaway camps provide an environment that is structured for daytime and evening activities.  Depending on how far you want to get into it, you can choose from programs ranging from a week to the whole summer.  It is up to you to decide if your child is ready for a sleepaway camp experience, not to mention how much the experience is going to cost you.

Camps may also vary in size from less than 100 kids to nearly 500.  Will your child do better in a smaller or larger setting?  If your child requires more personalized attention in certain areas such as confidence building or athletic skills, a smaller camp with more one on one interaction may be your best choice.  If your child is already quite adept and confident, then they may need the larger situation to take full advantage of their abilities and talents.

Camps also present a variety of activities for your child to participate in, although there are camps that specialize in one specific activity, such as horseback riding, tennis, sailing, or wilderness training.  Look into what is most appealing for your child, and whether or not they want to concentrate a whole summer on just one thing or be exposed to a variety of possibilities.

You also want to consider where the camp is located.  Some parents feel like they are doing their kids a disservice if they don’t send them as far away as humanly possible.  If the camp meets your expectations, needs, and budget, it really shouldn’t matter if the camp is located in the same town.  The single most obvious benefit of distance is that the child cannot just come back home if they wish, thereby requiring them to ride out and find ways to cope with less than desirable or challenging situations.

Once you have identified the general goals for your child, and the budget you have to work with, you can then begin narrowing down your list of choices for the right camp.  Take a look at the most promising candidates and ask yourself a few questions.

How long has this camp been operating, and what is the age and experience level of the camp director?

What are the camp’s goals and philosophy and do they translate well with the experience you want your child to have?

What is the schedule like?  Structured?  A lot of free time?  A reasonable balance of both?

What is the camper to counselor ratio and what is the experience level of the counselor staff?

Of course other details figure into your decision, such as cost, but it should be possible to narrow down the best bet for your child.

It’s almost spring, so start planning now for your child’s summer camp adventure!

Basement Flooding