How to Start the Job Search ~ Step One

What Do I Do? How Do I Say That?

The Resume

I don't need to begin with statistics or facts about unemployment's alarming growth. We all know about it and chances are you're online reading this now, because you are looking for a job, or freelance project, perhaps you're in preparation of the layoff your company is about to announce. Yeah, we're all feeling it.
So, here we all are, blowing dust off our resumes, breaking out the thesaurus to find power words, figuring out ways to derive our skills from our accomplishments…this is not an easy task to undertake in itself, much less face the entire concept, of looking for a new job or making a career change. Watching our dwindling savings accounts, increasing household budgets, and rising stress factors in the home; all make staying positive and upbeat at the new "opportunity" presented before us – difficult at best.
First things first, take a deep breath and start with the basics. What do you do? What was the title of the last job you held? Not all job titles spell out exactly what their duties are, like Territory Operations Administrator. That can be a job that has wide berth of duties from company to company. Many companies will not have the title in their organizational chart at all. If you're not the Head Payroll Accountant, define your roll. List your natural talents and the ideal job that would highlight your best attributes. In which industry are your skill set and that position best suited?
If you are making a career change or returning to the workforce you'll need to survey what is available to you. Evaluate your talents as above and write down what you believe is the best industry to find the position you want…really look at it and ask yourself. Are you up to date on the latest trends and newest developments in that industry? Do you subscribe to the trade magazines (online or print) and journals related to the field? If not, you need to research everything about it – quickly! Be honest with yourself, start from where your left off and be thorough. Keep in mind a hiring manager who has been inside the industry will be asking you questions, and generating conversation; in an attempt to test your knowledge.
A resume should have an objective or summary statement. Depending on your situation, a paragraph may even be acceptable. The objective gives the interviewer an instant feel of the tone of you, your resume, your intellect, and your skill set. That's a tall order from one statement, isn't it? You have to get it right. Some hiring managers admit, if they don't like the objective statement, the resume goes into the dead file. Your objective or summary also helps you to focus on exactly what you are looking for as you search for a job. Plus, it's a great ten second sales pitch of yourself during the quick handshake and business card swap moment at a networking event.

Now, the meat of the resume is your skills – what you bring to the table. What are your skills? Write them down. One of my skills would be, "Compose comprehensive reading materials." Simple, concise and it can be broad enough that I will elaborate in the body of my resume with my experience through projects such as: Sr. Copywriter and Editor for nationwide company newsletter; Ghostwriter for medical text book, copywriter for email marketing campaign, and so on. Sometimes pulling out what your skill set is can be difficult. You're already feeling down as it is and then you sit there and think, "what am I good at?" Think about an award you've won, or some proud moment when the boss singled you out for moment of kudos. What did you do in those circumstances? Write it down! Did you fix a system or a create savings for the company? Have you ever initiated a sales incentive program, rewards system, or other benefit to employee morale that worked out well?
Next, start listing all of the good things you accomplished at one job, that you will be bringing to the next. For instance, were you the go-to person that helped rookie employees understand the job and did you bring them up to speed? You were good at "training people." That translates to: developing, counseling, coaching, team building, motivating, and much more. Use a thesaurus or the "look up" feature in Microsoft Word. It'll become your best friend.
This same technique applies to your job responsibilities. The level of leadership you held in your last position will determine how well you'll fit into the organization at which you are interviewing. Employers find value in employees that are held accountable for various processes or duties. Responsibility and reliability are two of the most desirable qualities executives say they want in their assistants.
If your education is a greater asset than your work experience, then highlight your degrees. Include any case studies you participated in that had real life impact. In a Campaign Management Class, I spearheaded a Public Relations campaign for our local Area Transit system. The objective was to reeducate the public about public transportation. As I began to see my ideas implemented over the years (local government takes years for a plan to come to fruition), I moved that particular case study to the top of my scholastic experiences.
Frequently, a position that is difficult to fill can be negotiated into your favor. Work backwards with me here: A fellow student and I wrote a grant proposal for a local charity organization that delivers meals to the elderly. Their need was for a $40,000 refrigerated truck, which would enable them to expand their delivery territory and increase the efficiency of the food preparation process. We had a huge success with our proposal, out of the whole class in fact, ours was the only one. A couple of years later, as I was looking for a job, I saw an ad that had been running for a long time, needing an editor for requests for proposals at a particular company. Their experience requirements were way beyond what I had, so I didn't bother to apply. When a friend told me they had a project that had to be completed soon or funds could be lost, I saw an opportunity. My only experience in that particular field was the single grant proposal, nevertheless, I proposed to the hiring manager that judging by how long the ad had been running, if he didn't find someone soon, he was going to be in a bind. He needed a particular job done quickly and I knew how to do the job. I was willing to work on the single project with the looming deadline, on a freelance basis. He would have my quote up front, so he'd know how much he was going to spend, plus I wouldn't cost him the expense associated hiring an employee. The best part would be that he could stop wasting his time interviewing completely unqualified applicants and get to work on the project. I convinced him, the job went smoothly, I earned some money during my job search and I gained some more experience. The supervisor finally had the time available to him to travel and recruit the proper candidate from Boston. The lesson here is do not rule out freelance work while you're job hunting.
Back to your resume, by all means include networking organizations (especially if you've held post as an officer), charity committees, and all career development training. However, make sure the continuing education is pertinent to the profession. If you are applying for a Public Relations position, the fact that you are certified to service the fire extinguisher in the hallway will not be impressive.
Now, at the end of a resume, some folks will put their outside interests to prove they know how to balance work and home life…as if this is some real evidence of a sane and well adjusted individual. Personally, I don't like to put anything personal on my resume. My opinion is that the two should be kept separate. If some parts of our personal lives are illegal to ask, why should we throw in any at all? Isn't that a double standard of sorts? Also, you never know if an organization you belong to may create a bias opinion against you. The gun club member might be offensive to the vegan hiring manager, yet the gun club member could be vegan, too. After you've proven yourself on the job and developed friendships in the department, then revealing who you are outside of work, is a good idea.
I'll take a look at your resume and polish it for you, at no charge. Just subscribe to my blog and send it to me. If you don't have an objective or summary statement, follow the format I've laid out here and let's see what I can do for you! No strings attached! Really.

Beckham, Van der Sar, Rooney ~ Oh My!

1,302 Minutes, 108 Caps & #10 Takes a 3rd

Just when I think I can't be any more proud of Edwin Van der Sar, he makes me want to burst with joy…again! He's hit his 14th successive league clean sheet in the 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday, 18 February, 2009. In fact, if he can keep the Blackburn Rovers from making a goal within the first 89 minutes on Saturday, he will beat the current record holder, Dany Verlinden, Belgium's Club Brugge keeper. Dany Verlinden's record of 1,390 minutes, was set in back in 1990, which means that it will have taken nearly twenty years for someone break the record, proving the task is not an easy accomplishment.

Frankly, nothing about our Eddy's job is easy, but he makes it look so! His brilliant height and sticky hands that can catch a ball or smack it away have made him the best keeper in the league. The young guns can learn so much from him, the main lesson being that with years of experience comes a natural grace and flow that can't be forced. His movements are not jerky and rushed. His eyes never leave the ball and his body is like a sound wave reaching from the field outward. It's unseen, this power he has and yet, it's huge and right there for the world to admire. Yes! I admit I gush!

Now, I do like to give credit elsewhere and that is to who is probably Van der Sar's best partner on the field, #5 Rio Ferdinand. His absence was palpable when he had back issues recently and couldn't play. I see these two as a great partnership and Rio defends his keeper and acts as Captain frequently enough, that I believe when Neville retires, the job should be Rio's full-time. I know Giggs sometimes wears the band, but personally, I sense a better communication experience between the refs, Rio, SAF, and Edwin Van der Sar, when Ferdinand is captain. (Just to throw it out there, my favorite ref is Webb and that will be for another blog!)

So, I've gone this far without mentioning the biggest story of the week and that was Becks earning his 108th cap and making his 100th start in Seville. That places him on par with the most legendary name in the history of English football, Bobby Moore. Some people are offended by this. They feel that he doesn't deserve the honor. Why not? Are they afraid it takes something away from Bobby? Peter Shilton broke the record by 17, earning 125 caps long ago and no one seems to be saying anything about that. It's just that the "pretty-boy" Beckham is now level with the only England captain to ever win a world cup. Well, guess what? He's not going to always be the only one. It will happen again and if we want to split hairs, a British team recently won the World Cup…Manchester United. A team for which Beckham once played. (Hair splitting from the other side argues that Becks had late or quick walk ons that shouldn't have counted as caps.)

So, let's congratulate David Beckham for accomplishing something that not many players get to do. He loves the game so much, he's been loaning himself out just so he can keep playing and it has added up. Game after game, we've now reached a point where we can say, "Look Beckham and Moore are equal on caps!" We only count upward from here with Beckham…from now on, his tally goes higher. By the way, in his loaning himself out to keep playing, Beckham has said that his body fat is the lowest it's ever been in his life. Ok, I'm a woman writing this blog, you gotta know that makes me drool a little. (You guys would be the same way if it were Gisele Bundchen that you were writing about.)
Wow! What is wrong with Victoria Beckham? She should be spending every possible moment with him – offering to measure his body fat!

The last and happiest item is that #10 WAYNE ROONEY IS BACK! Yay! He came back from his injury and he scored the third goal of the game…just as we would expect him to do. He looks like little Opie Taylor with the grin on his face, and that's what we've been wanting to see for weeks now! Welcome back, mate – you were missed!

Tips for Better Business Writing

Wendy Wells is a Freelance Writer, Editor and Proofreader
wwells@wendywellswrites.com

Wendy Wells is a Freelance Copywriter, Editor and Ghostwriter. She holds a Master’s of English in Writing and Rhetoric, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she also completed her Graduate Studies in Communications.

Many MBA's dread when they are forced to do any sort of formal business writing. There's simply no replacement for the written word, even in our technologically advanced age. Sometimes a phone or video conference isn't practical, and an email isn't emphatic enough for what needs to be said. Presentations and projects often require original text, so you're going to need some basic business writing skills. For times like these and when you need more than a memo to get your point across, following these simple tips can make the business writing process easier for you and keep your reader engaged.

• Begin
  
  When you introduce the topic of any sort of business correspondence, consider your audience and their role in the project. How much background information is needed for them to understand what you're talking about? If "very little" is the answer, then keep it short. You can lose your reader very early with too much information, especially if it is only adding flavor to the topic.
  

• Format
  
  Headings in business writing help the reader get a quick idea of the page's topic and content. Use headings to get the message across quickly, allow your reader to skim the page and show emphasis. Headings also create white space, which gives the eyes a "rest" between topics and paragraphs.
  
  Does it have to be words? Business writing is often best communicated when it's not written at all! (Especially for business correspondence, when the reader has quick and easy access to a trash can.) A graph or chart is much more effective than our market shares showed an increase in penetration throughout the summer months, reaching 92%.
  

• Place
  
  Keep business writing and correspondence short! Look for phrases that can be rearranged and shortened. Instead of saying system of inventory, write inventory system. Sentences that start with flourishes such as, "For starters, if you have excessive information that is only adding flavor...” instead, just begin the sentence with what you mean to say. "Excessive information that only adds flavor...”
  

• Cut
  
  Once you've written a draft, go back and look for redundant information to edit. Check to see where things you've written are saying the same thing and cut something out. The two previous sentences are an example, they say the same thing.
  
  Many companies have some sort of internal reference system, abbreviations or nicknames that can shorten your text. If everyone knows the Seattle warehouse is called "S-E2," use it.
  
  Avoid editorializing, save it for a meeting, phone conference, or as a follow-up. Too much space is wasted with: For some time now, I have seen the need to improve the system of inventory control at S-E2, it has grown into a problem, which can deter its progression into a major distribution hub. Instead, get straight to the point of what is best for the company and not what makes you look the best. Before it can become a major distribution hub, the inventory system at S-E2 needs significant modification.
  
  Search for content that steers away from your core subject and remove it. Business writing is not about you but when it's done properly, business communication will make you look great!
  

• Go!
  
  When you've made your point, there is no need to recap. This isn't Composition 101, where your grade depends on the "tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them," formula. Once you've made your point and finished what you have to say, stop writing!

Social Media Works for Hearing Impaired

Going Deaf
Losing Your Senses – NOT a Picnic!

Social media is perfect for someone like me. It's online, I write you – you write me, I can blog, podcast, or video. Don't get me wrong…I love socializing and meeting people in person, and at the Charlotte Twestival last night, I had a blast! If it weren't for the fact that I'm Hearing Impaired, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!



You're probably familiar with the cotton-filled feeling your ears have when you've got a head cold. Sound is muffled, as if it is coming through water, or through the wall of another room. Everyone expects you to hear what they say and comprehend it the first time around…when you don't, they get impatient because you're making them repeat. Music doesn't sound the same…the quality is flatter, something's missing…your own voice betrays you…say a few words, and stop yourself, "do I really sound that way? What's wrong with me? I must be sick." That's the flu. For me, that's life.

My world is growing quieter but my head grows louder. I am going deaf but I have tinnitus. I never have silence. There is no such thing as relaxing, soothing, calm in Wendy-land. There is no, enjoyable conversation that is caught the first time around, where no one ever has to repeat themselves. There is never a day, when someone – a stranger, a friend, a loved one, doesn't become impatient with me because they've had to repeat something twice, three times…'look at me, I need to read your lips,' – they say it again. When I don't get it the third or fourth time they often give up, "oh never mind, it wasn't that big of a deal…the joke's over." So I get left out – frequently. Or, I'm too embarrassed to ask someone to repeat themselves more than once or twice, and I'll pretend I heard them. Smile and nod…I take the cue and laugh when everyone else does (must have been the punch line), then ask Nathan later what I missed. Wendy-land gets lonely and it's an embarrassing place to live. It's the house on the block with the poor kid, who never wants to invite friends over.

Yeah, I know, "woe is me!" Well, there's only so much, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, that I can do. I've had surgery in both ears. Surgeons replaced the bones with metal implants and rebuilt new ear drums. Both surgeries were spaced apart by about ten years, and that's about how much time they'll "buy" me until I go nearly deaf. As long as I have any measure of hearing, aids can amplify sound and I do have one hearing aid. I need two but they're expensive and insurance doesn't cover them. I suppose all six senses are a luxury. Each surgery corrected the vertigo I had at the time. But that grows as the hearing goes. Another embarrassment. I might as well be an alcoholic, for the way I get so dizzy and unbalanced much of the time. If Nathan's around, or I'm standing near something, I can usually inconspicuously lean, or reach out to steady myself. Fortunately, Nathan's used to it. He'll suddenly feel my hand tighten around his waist or his arm,he'll know I'm having a dizzy spell, and that it'll pass. No need to call attention to it.

So, at last night's Twestival in Charlotte, as usual, it was a struggle to participate in conversation, as it always is in a loud venue. (Especially when my Love was on the microphone. We're both radio/TV people, so I get it;~) Inevitably, I will end up asking, "what?" so many times that I get embarrassed, I'll fiddle with the volume on my hearing aid, twist my neck around to try each ear…then, as usual, I'll take a cue from the facial expression of the person speaking to me, or the group I'm in and smile and nod – or, pensively, "hmm, interesting…" I've got to read lips in situations when I can't hear. While I love going out and socializing, social media is perfect for me. I'm reading words, which is even more definitive than lips, it's online, I write you – you write me, I can blog, podcast, or video…I blast the volume, whatever. It's just that going deaf and socializing in public is no picnic. I'm sitting outside watching everyone else eat and laugh…Nathan will hand me a doggie bag later.

My left ear is almost completely deaf, so it has the hearing aid. My right ear has about 60% hearing left in it. I can hear in a relatively quiet room without my hearing aid, especially certain tones and voices. Usually, I can derive from the conversation we're having, what is being said even if I'm not catching every word. Sometimes, I'll get it wrong and it's comical. Eating dinner in front of the telly, Nathan will get up, and take our plates toward the kitchen, I'll hear his voice, and reply, "no thanks, I want to save some room for dessert." He'll stop, turn look at me quizzically, and that's when I know I've done it again. I'll lift an eyebrow silently inquiring, "what did you really ask me?" He'll bemusedly say, "I asked if you if wanted to start the movie yet." Oh, I was turning down a second helping of dinner. You hear that? Going deaf really isn't a picnic!