Pictures from Last Christmas

Strength Through Adversity

Strength Through Adversity

Tough times make tough people. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. OK, those statements may not always be true - because we do know broken people or people that have not recovered from a tragedy, but I agree with them for the most part.

Let me give you some personal examples. I was born with Dyslexia. Of course, that was before it was a well-known problem and the Doctors told my parents that the wires in my brain were a bit crossed. I also spent years in speech therapy - I'm not sure if the two are related, but both do play an important role in communications and accuracy. So after many years dealing with these issues, what do I do for a living? I work with technical detail-oriented people and work as a third party facilitator and negotiator. Coincidence? I don't think so. I spent so much time working on these areas as a child that they come very naturally to me today.

I also believe that tough times strengthen your relationships. Again I will use my personal life as an example. I am more in love with my husband today than I was before we were married. It is a strong and deep love that has grown by the problems in life that we have experienced together. The way he took care of me when I was ill, the way he was there when I was having our children, the diapers he changed, the other unpleasant things he has done while we have been together just make me love him more. Just this past week he was my hero again dealing with the septic tank! Yes, bringing me flowers is nice and I love the thoughtful things he does. But what really makes me love this man is how he digs in when things are tough and is willing to do the gross stuff!

I can also say my best work relationships bloomed from bad environments. Most of the valuable lessons I have learned at work have been with the tough times, environments and situations.
I don't tell you all this to say I want more bad stuff to happen! I don't like bad stuff. I don't like to go through tough times! I hate adversity! I want everything in my life and the people I care about to be nothing but happiness. However, that is not reality. There will be tough times and people you care about and you will have heartbreak, loss and disappointments.

With that being said, as bad as it may get, remember that something good can and usually does come out of the hard times! You may not realize it when you are in the process of grief or even going to a job you do not enjoy, but know that you can find something worthwhile in almost any situation. When you come out on the other side of the problem or situation you will find that you are smarter, stronger and so are your relationships.

I don't wish for you hardships, but I do wish for you the insight in knowing that there is strength to be found in adversity!

How Goals Unleash the Superhero Inside You!

How Goals Unleash the Superhero Inside You!
- By Jill Koenig

Within every human being exists an infinite supply of creativity, strength, and wonder.







You are capable of more than you know.




Let me tell you about a real life Superhero I know named Mike Berkson.




Mike was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors told his parents that he would not be able to talk, and he would never be a student in a regular classroom. By the time Mike was 3, he was not only talking up a storm but had a thirst for vocabulary. Mike sets BIG Goals. Mike excels in English and history, is creative in writing short stories, and has ambitions in film making.

Because he is confined to a wheelchair, and has limited use of his arms and legs, he is paired with someone to help him through the day. For a few years, my friend Tim was fortunate enough to be paired with Mike and serve as Mike's aid and helper.




As Tim and Mike grew closer and Tim became a member of Mike's family, Tim felt a yearning to share with the world Mike's awesome attitude, and how Mike deals with prejudices, ignorance, and inconveniences despite his circumstances.




Tim was so inspired by the Superhero within in Mike, that last year he set a goal to write a book about Mike and run 1,200 miles from Florida to Chicago to promote it.




Just one tiny problem...at the time, Tim could hardly run 30 minutes and in order to achieve his goals within 4 months, he would have to write the book at blazing speed AND get into the kind of physical condition to maintain a pace of running 40 miles per day for 31 straight days.







Tim had the yearning to pursue a series of goals so much bigger than anything he had ever done before, that he just had to try. As a tribute to Mike, Tim had to push himself beyond anything he ever previously did, as Mike does every single day.




Some people in life believe you should only pursue goals you know you can achieve. Others believe the success lies in the growth that occurs from stretching beyond your previous wins, and that all growth is success.




How do you define success?




I interviewed Tim recently on my radio show. Tim explains how he found an endurance coach and transformed himself from a couch potato into an ultra endurance champion. Tim did not reach his goal of running 40 miles a day. You see, his plan was flawed. He made a lot of mistakes. His schedule for the run was so tight, that he did not allow himself any room for error, like weather, funding, or the hazards of running alongside traffic. His approach for raising money was limited. He had a skeleton crew of one to accompany him on the run.




He had to return home by a certain date, regardless of how far behind he was, so he had to drive the distances to catch up when he fell behind. Shortly after he started his journey, he realized he would not be able to achieve the 1,200 miles and still make it home on time. But he kept running, anyways; he wanted to Keep On Keeping On. He would rather continue stretching himself than consider quitting.




Why is Tim's journey considered a success by many? Because he dared to pursue it in the first place. Because he did finish his book about Mike in record time. Because he succeeded in transforming his body into an Ultra Endurance Machine for that time. Because he DID succeed in running an average of 24 miles per day for a total of 700 miles. Because he didn't quit, even when he realized he could not reach every goal he set for himself. Because he touched the heart of a young man who looked up to him. Because he inspired a lot of people to go beyond what they previously thought they could do.




Because for a moment in time, he tapped into the Superhero inside himself and unleashed more of his own potential.




Rising above circumstances like a champion inspires other people.




We must re-evaluate our perspective on what success really is.




Are you a success if you play it safe your whole life and never dare anything unless you are guaranteed victory?







When you set BIG Goals, it is important to set many smaller goals that coincide with it. Even if you fail to reach your deadline for one Goal, you will still succeed at many, and you will build your confidence to a much higher level. Give yourself empowering reasons for getting up when you feel down.There is a Superhero inside YOU.




What Goals can you set that will inspire you to unleash it?




Keep On Keeping On.




Live Your Dreams.

About the Author:

Jill Koenig, the "Goal Guru," is America's Top Goal Strategist. A best-selling author, coach, and motivational speaker, she is an expert on the subjects of goal setting, time management, and business success. A self-made millionaire, she hosts the Goal Guru Radio Show. Her passion in life is helping you achieve your goals and unleash your untapped potential. Find out more about her Cutting Edge Goal Strategies at http://www.GoalGuru.com

QUESTIONS TO ASK

QUESTIONS TO ASK

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE EMPLOYER

• What is the last person who had this job doing?




• What are the job responsibilities?




• What skills are the most important for the job?




• What kind of training is provided?




• What is the company's history?




• What are the company's goals?




• Where does the job lead?




• What is the management style of the company?
  

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

• Do I understand the job responsibilities?




• Will I have meaningful responsibilities that can be measured?




• Will I be visible to key people in the company?




• Does the position fit with my goals?




• Is there an opportunity for advancement?




• Does the personality of the company fit with mine?




• Can I work with this supervisor?




• Is the company growing and profitable?




• How does the company rank compared to its competition?




• What can I contribute to the company?




• Is the job location within a comfortable driving radius?




• If moving to another location, does the change in salary fit with the difference in the cost of living?




• What would the company need to provide in order to accept an offer?Do I really want this job?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (8 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (8 of 8)

176. How do you feel your subordinates would describe you as a delegator?

177. What specific behaviors do you think contribute to your effectiveness as a supervisor?

178. How important is it for you to move up in management?

179. How would you compare your oral skills to your written skills?

180. What's one thing that should never be communicated in a memo or e-mail?

181. Tell me what you have learned about reducing employee turnover.

182. Describe a situation that required you to use fact-finding skills.

183. How many projects can you handle at a time?

184. In what ways have you improved in your capacity for planning?

185. Do you have a favorite interviewing question?

186. How do you maintain discipline within your department or team?

187. How do you keep abreast of new development in information technology?

188. Do you have any questions?

189. When can you start?

190. May I contact your present employer and references?

191. When will you know it's time to leave this organization?

192. How do you handle rejection?

193. Were you ever dismissed from a job for a reason that seemed unjustified?

194. What kinds of things do you worry about?

195. Can you name three new skills, techniques, or methodologies you learned in the past twelve months?

196. Are you generally lucky or unlucky?

197. What do you do when your boss loads you down with a great deal of work and not enough time to do it in?

198. What do you do when there is a decision to be made and no procedure exists?

199. How would you finish this sentence: "Most people are basically...?"

200. Is there anything else I should know about you?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (7 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (7 of 8)

151. Are you able to predict a people's behavior based on your reading of them?
152. As a member of a team, how do you handle a team member who is not pulling his or her weight?
153. What's more important to you, truth or comfort?
154. At what time is it better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission?
155. Have you learned more from your mistakes or your successes?
156. Is honesty always the best policy?
157. How has your tolerance for accepting mistakes from your subordinates changed over the years?
158. You want to go swimming in a pool. The water is a little colder than comfortable. Are you the type of person who jumps in or do you wade in?
159. How will you handle the least interesting or pleasant tasks of this job?
160. Your supervisor tells you to do something in a manner you are convinced is wrong. What would you do?
161. What do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?
161. If you were on a magazine cover, what would the magazine be and what would the headline say?
163. What kinds of things do you worry about?
164. Is the customer always right?
165. What is the most significant compliment anyone has ever paid you?
166. Are you the type of person who likes to make lists or strike items off lists?
167. What's the difference between a manager and a leader?
168. How can we best reward you?
169. What are some of your pet peeves?
170. How do you define employee morale?
171. What programs have you implemented to build morale?
172. How do you keep your staff informed of new developments?
173. How did you prepare for this interview?
174. Which spreadsheet programs do you prefer to work with?
175. Describe a problem that you solved using employee involvement?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (6 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (6 of 8)

126. What have been the biggest success and biggest mistake of your career?

127. What was the most useful criticism you ever received?

128. Describe the best person you ever worked for or who worked for you.

129. If your boss could wave a magic wand over you, what aspect of your performance would be fine-tuned?

130. Please rank the following from most important to least: duties, hours, location, pay, work environment.

131. What do you do when things are slow at work?

132. How important is it for you to learn new skills?

133. What is more important to you: the salary or the challenge?

134. Do you generally clear your desk at the end of each day?

135. I'd like to hear about what you want to be when you grow up.

136. Would you rather formulate a plan or carry it out?

137. What was the last business or management book you read and what did you learn?

138. What strategies do you use when you have a great deal of work to accomplish and not much time to do it?

139. Do you anticipate problems or react to them?

140. Would you describe yourself as a risk taker or someone who plays it safe?

141. What problems do you have getting along with others?

142. What kinds of people do you prefer to work with?

143. What kinds of people do you find difficult to work with?

144. Tell me about a time when you said no to someone who asked you to drop everything to help out.

145. How do you operate as a team player?

146. How do you deal with people with different backgrounds and value systems different from your own?

147. What good or bad work habits did you pick up from your first job?

148. Describe your approach to evaluating risks.

149. What is one thing a teammate can say that is guaranteed to make you lose confidence in him or her?

150. Have you developed any special techniques for brainstorming?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (5 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (5 of 8)

101. What are three reasons for your success?
102. How do you train employees?
103. What were the biggest decisions you made in the past six months?
104. How did you go about making them and what alternatives did you consider?
105. Describe one of the best ideas you have ever sold. What were your approach and results?
106. How do you know you are doing a good job?
107. How do you prefer to measure performance?
108. What qualifications do you have to make you successful in this field?
109. Do you prefer to speak with someone or send a memo?
110. How do you motivate people?
111. Give an example of a situation in which you failed and how you handled it.
112. What characteristics are most important in a manager? How have you displayed these characteristics?
113. Describe a leadership role of yours and tell me why you committed your time to it.
114. Have you been in charge of budgeting, expenses and departmental progress against financial goals?
115. What suggestions did you make in your job to cut costs, add profits, improve morale, increase output, etc.?
116. What results did you get? How did you know? How did you measure results?
117. Can you think of an example of a lesson you learned from someone else's mistake?
118. What risks did you take in your last few jobs? What was the result of those risks?
119. What do you do when you are having trouble solving a problem?
120. Describe the people that you hired on your last job. Did they work out?
121. How do you use deadlines in your work?
122. How did your supervisor get the best performance out of you?
123. Give me an example of some approaches you used when persuading someone to cooperate with you?
124. Tell me about a time when you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker.
125. Tell me about yourself using only one-word adjectives.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (4 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (4 of 8)

76. What causes you to lose your temper?

77. What two adjectives best describe you?

78. What are your best professional skills?

79. If you were in my position, would you hire you?

80. What were the biggest pressures on your last position?

81. How do you cope with stress?

82. Describe your manager's style.

83. If you could make one constructive suggestion to your last CEO, what would it be?

84. What are the most repetitive tasks in your job?

85. To what extent have you automated your last job?

86. What decisions or judgment calls did you have to make?

87. Can you give a ratio for the amount of time you worked alone and with others?

88. How effectively did your boss handle evaluations?

89. How many hours a week did you find it necessary to work to get your job done?

90. Can you describe a situation where a crisis occurred and you had to shift priorities and workload quickly?

91. How do you feel about your present workload?

92. How do you think your supervisor will react when you tender your resignation?

93. Describe the most significant report or presentation you had to prepare.

94. What idea have you developed and implemented that was particularly creative or innovative?

95. Tell me about a team project of which you are particularly proud and your specific contribution.

96. Describe the way your department is currently organized.

97. What has been your most important work-related innovation or contribution?

98. What caused you the most problems in executing your tasks?

99. How do you organize and plan for major projects?

100. How do you plan your time?

Interview Questions (3of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (3 of 8)

51. What do you think of your boss?
52. Describe a few situations in which your work was criticized.
53. Did you change the nature of your job?
54. What improvements did you make in your present position?
55. If you could choose any company, where would you go? Why?
56. What do you feel this position should pay?
57. Do you have any objections to a psychological test?
58. Do you speak to people before they speak to you?
59. What was the last book you read? Movie you saw? Sporting event you attended?
60. Are you creative?
61. How would you describe your personality?
62. Do you consider yourself a leader?
63. If you could start your career again, what would you do differently?
64. What career options do you have at this moment?
65. How successful do you think you have been so far?
66. How do you know about this job and organization?
67. What else should I know about you?
68. What are your expectations of your future employer?
69. Who has had the greatest influence on the development of your career?
70. Would your supervisor be surprised to learn that you are seeking new employment?
71. How long have you been looking for a job?
72. Have you received any offers so far?
73. How far can you advance with your current employer?
74. If you are so happy where you are, why are you looking for another job?
75. How does this job compare with others you've applied for?

Interview Questions (2 of 8)

First of all....Happy Friday!

Ok, and now for the topic:

Interview Questions (2 of 8)

Again, to make this more fun and to get to know each other better pick a few questions below and answer in the comments!

26. How do you work under pressure?

27. What would be the ideal job for you?

28. What interests you most about this position?

29. What do you know about our company?

30. What are the two or three most important things to you in your job?

31. Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?

32. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?

33. Do you have a geographical preference? Why? 34. Will you relocate?

34. Will you travel?

35. Are you willing to work overtime?

36. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?

37. What have you learned from your mistakes?

38. What can you do for us that someone else can't?

39. Please give your definition of the position for which you are being interviewed.

40. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

41. How long would you stay with us?

42. Your resume suggests that you may be overqualified for this position. What do you think?

43. What is your management style?

44. Do you feel that you have top management potential?

45. What do you look for when you hire people?

46. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons and how did you handle the situation?

47. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager?

48. What important trends do you see in our industry?

49. What have been your five most significant accomplishments in your current/last position?

50. Did you think about leaving your present position before? If so, what do you think held you there?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (1 of 8)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (1 of 8)

OK, let's have a bit more fun with this. Pick a few interview questions to answer over the next few days and let's get to know each other better!

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you leave your position?
3. What excites you in your current job?
4. What are your career goals?
5. Where would you like to be in five years?
6. What are your greatest strengths?
7. What are your greatest weaknesses?
8. Why do you wish to work for this firm?
9. Where else are you seeking employment?
10. Why should we hire you?
11. What are your long-range and short-range goals?
12. When and why did you establish these goals?
13. How are you preparing yourself to achieve them?
14. What motivates you?
15. How would you describe yourself?
16. How would a friend describe you?
17. How would a supervisor describe you?
18. How would a co-worker describe you?
19. How do you determine or evaluate success?
20. What do you think it takes to be successful in our company?
21. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
22. What qualities should a successful manager possess?
23. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and employees working for them.
24. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
25. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

I will start!

3. What excites you in your current job?
I love helping people! If I do my job correctly everyone is better off! I get to see people at their best! I can make a difference in a company and an individual and help make things better. I love that!

19. How do you determine or evaluate success?
I think success is knowing what you want and going after it! It does not have to be a high profile job or a lot of money. It can be raising positive kids or enjoying what you do every day. I do think we have to set goals and continue to grow to be successful people, but success is very different from one person to another!

22. What qualities should a successful manager possess?
I think a manager is a team captain. They should be approachable and have a good understanding of the skills needed by their team. They should be someone that can bring out the best in people and encourage their team to achieve goals both individually and as a team. I think a manager gains the respect of the group by being able and willing to help out when needed and represent their team when dealing with upper management.

24. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
Working my way through college was a great accomplishment of my youth. Starting my own profitable company was a dream come true. Marrying a wonderful Godly man and having two beautiful children has topped the list!

25. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
I love a fast- paced, challenging and ever changing environment. I get bored easily and need many new challenges. I also thrive on working with people and helping others.

TIPS FOR INTERVIEWING

TIPS FOR INTERVIEWING

• You have one opportunity to make a good first impression.




• Research the company and the position.




• Get a good night's sleep.




• Dress for success.




• Be early for your appointment.




• Bring a copy of your resume and information for application details.




• Do not bring anyone with you.




• Remember the four P's which are Positive, Prompt, Professional and Polite.




• The three A's employers look for are Attitude = 70%, Appearance = 20% and Ability = 10%.




• Remember the two S's which are Smile and Self-confidence.




• Keep eye contact during interview.




• Show enthusiasm and excitement.




• Find a common link to break the ice.




• Answer all questions in a positive manner.




• Indicate your flexibility and eagerness.




• Do not argue with the interviewer.




• Never bring up personality conflicts or discuss confidences of your previous employer.




• Stress your qualifications, stability, reliability and good attendance.




• Use short, vivid, descriptive words.




• Show confidence.




• Be honest about what you can do for the company.




• Know your weak points and be objective and demonstrate that you are capable of a realistic appraisal.




• Follow up with how you are improving or compensating for your weak points.




• Stay on track.




• Ask questions to clarify if you don't understand.




• Spend time listening as well as talking.




• Do not bring up salary or benefits.




• Do not chew gum or smoke and avoid carbonated beverages.




• Have a pencil and paper handy.




• Know when the interview is over.




• If it's a match ask for the job.




• Send a short thank you note.




• Follow up with the appropriate calls and inquiries discussed in the interview.




• Prepare for your next interview.

QUICK THINKING

Here are some ideas to help you "think on your feet" in an interview:

1. Attitude is everything.

2. Pause to think. Take a deep breath and consider what you want to say.

3. Consider your audience and keep in mind what they really want to know.

4. Organize your thoughts. In most cases, you should begin with the most important point and then give information that backs up your point.

5. A step-by-step description is helpful if you are explaining how to do something.

6. Think quickly. Remember these basic points:

• Be brief.



• Say what you mean. Avoid hedging or being defensive.



• Watch your audience. They will tell you if you are getting through.



• If you don't know, say so.If you lose your train of thought, ask a question.
  

INTERVIEWING

INTERVIEWING

You made it! The company liked your background and now you have the opportunity to tell them more. Are you ready for that first meeting? This information should help you to sell yourself to a prospective employer and find out enough about them to know if you are sold on working for them.

Selling yourself is what the interview is about. This can be difficult if you are not normally in a sales position. Think about what makes a good sales person. They know their clients past, present and future. They know their product and how it can be of use to their clients. They are confident and honest and can find the benefits of every situation. They have a positive attitude and their clients enjoy meeting with them.

The first thing you must do is make sure you have a positive attitude. If you do not, make a list of your strengths and focus on what you have to offer. You may want to invest in motivational tapes and literature by Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Les Brown, Peter Lowe, and others you can find in the business section of book stores and the library. You must have self confidence and a positive mental attitude!

The next step is information gathering. Find out as much as possible about the company. See if you can get last years annual report and if Human Resources or Marketing has any company information packets. Look them up on the internet and in the library. The more you know about the company the better prepared you will be to ask and answer questions.



Be professional in dress and manner. Always be polite to everyone you meet at the company. It can cost you the job if you are not respectful of the people you meet, even if they are not interviewing you. Always dress neat, conservative and more professional than you normally would working at the company. It is better to be overdressed than too casual. Navy or black suits are always the best choice.

Arrive at the company ten to fifteen minutes early for your interview (earlier if you will need to fill out an application). You may want to bring your information you gathered to review while waiting for your interview. Use the time you are waiting to get more information about the company. Notice the people passing through the lobby. How are they dressed? Are they enjoying their job? What type of person works for the company? If possible talk to the receptionist and find out information about the company. How long have they been there? What do they like about the company? Do they have any pointers on interviewing with the people who you are meeting?

Have a firm handshake (but not rough) and smile and make eye contact when being introduced. Notice your surroundings and comment if appropriate to relax the interviewer. Be prepared for questions in the interview. Some sample questions will be on the following pages. Make sure you are comfortable with them. You may want to practice with a friend. Be direct with your answers and tie information to the question by using examples of how you applied your answer to specific situations. Do not ramble or talk too much, but do communicate your answers completely. Make sure you remember to tell the employer how you would benefit their organization. At the end of the interview make sure you find out the next step and ask for the job.



Follow up all meetings with a thank you note. This will allow you to emphasize information in the interview and to re-state positive reasons why you believe the position fits you and what you could bring to the company. Again, say you look forward to the next step and would like to work for the company.



Leave the company with an image of you that is positive, enthusiastic, focused, polished and convinced. You must be outstanding enough to be memorable.

Resume Writing

As some of you may know, I am a professional in the field of recruiting. Two of my areas of expertise where I have had a demand from friends and business associates are in the area of resume writing and interviewing. I would like to spend some time on my blog helping others with this information. Please pass this information along to anyone you may know that is seeking to either become employed or further their career. I hope this helps you! I copied it from my website http://www.placementteam.com/. Next post will be about interviewing.

RESUME WRITING



UNLOCKING THE RIGHT DOOR


Your resume is the key to opening the doors to career opportunities. Many people get frustrated when they are sending out resumes because they do not get interviews for the positions they desire. Most likely, if the door is not opening, your key does not fit. Your resume should be a brief summary of your abilities, education, experience and skills which are specifically selected to highlight your qualifications for the position you desire.

There are many formats you can choose to highlight your qualifications. The main sections to a resume are typically the name, address, phone number, objective, summary or profile, experience or work history, skills and attributes, education, certifications and training, additional information and references.

Obviously it is extremely important that a prospective employer know who you are and how to reach you. Make sure you have a current name, address and phone number on your resume. If at all possible, include a work number since most employers will be calling during regular business hours. If you are applying for work in another city, try to find a local address and phone number where you can retrieve messages. Local candidates are typically selected first for interviews. Make sure you respond quickly to any calls regarding your resume.

An objective needs to be present on a resume. It may not be necessary to have an objective section, but the objective should at least be implied by the information included in the resume. If you are starting a new career or changing directions, an objective statement would be a good idea to communicate your desired goal.

The summary or profile should outline what you have to offer a prospective employer. This area is extremely helpful for professionals with extensive experience in well-defined areas. It needs to be direct and brief. A prospective employer should be able to glance at your summary and determine if you are qualified for their positions. Remember to use the buzz words that employers are seeking. Lists of skills and attributes are included below.

The experience or work history section should include all significant work experience in reverse chronological order. As a general rule, you should include only the last ten years of experience in this section. What is important to the employer is your skills and what you can do on the job. Do not go into details that do not apply to your objective. You should include the title of your position, name of organization, location of work and dates. You should describe your applicable work responsibilities with an emphasis on achievements using action words to communicate your skills. Stick to the basics and keep it brief. You are trying to get in the door where you can go into more details in person.

You may want a section that goes into your skills and attributes. This is a great section if you are light on experience. You may also want this section in order to highlight computer knowledge or accentuate skills and abilities that were not included in your work experience. These may be skills obtained outside the work place that are applicable to the position desired.

Education, certifications and training is an important section. Most positions include education as a requirement. The more experience you have the further down the resume the education should go. If you do not have a degree in the area where you desire a position, include as much information as possible about relevant course work. You may also want to include education or certifications in progress if they apply to your objective. If you attended several institutions before obtaining your degree, you may only want to list the institution where the degree was earned.

If you do decide to include additional information, make sure the information it is relevant. For example, if you have a hobby that relates to your career or are a member of a professional organization in your field, then you may want to include this information.

References should be in order when in a job search mode. You should have a typed sheet of professional references to take with you to an interview. If you are in need of resume 'filler' you can type "References furnished on request." This is not necessary to include if space is not available.

You want your resume to catch the employers attention and leave them asking for more. That is what opens doors.




SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES



BUZZ WORD LIST

Traits Sought By Employers

Self-knowledge
Interpersonal Skills
Intelligence
Ability to communicate
Flexibility
Teaching/Training
Negotiating
Dependable
Integrity
Enthusiastic
Direction
Managing
Interviewing
Writing
Ability to handle pressure
High energy level
Goal achievement
Vocation skills
Imagination
Speaking
Honest
Motivated
Judgment
Prompt
Compassionate
People oriented
Admirable
Self-directed
Hard Working
Competitiveness
Open Mind
Loyal
Ethical
Interested
Positive
Competent
Sincere
Creative
Humor
Fair
Willingness to accept responsibility
Initiative
Ability to handle conflict
Leadership

Action Words
achieved cultivated insured recruited acquired demonstrated interpreted reorganized adapted designed interviewed reported addressed developed launched researched administered devised maintained resolved analyzed discovered managed reviewed anticipated doubled marketed selected assembled drafted minimized separated assisted edited motivated set up audited eliminated negotiated simplified budgeted enforced obtained solved calculated established operated surveyed centralized evaluated organized staffed changed expanded originated supervised collaborated forecasted oversaw taught composed formed performed tested condensed founded planned trained conducted generated prevented utilized constructed guided produced contracted hired promoted converted implemented provided coordinated improved publicized created informed published

PROOFREADING CHECKLIST

Spelling Mistakes
To avoid spelling mistakes:
___Do not use words with which you are not familiar.
___Use a dictionary as you write.
___Perform a spell check on your finished resume.
___Carefully read every word in your resume. If you write "from" instead of "form," spell check will be unable to detect the mistake.
___Have a friend or two proofread your resume.

Punctuation Mistakes
Things to look for:
___Periods at the end of all full sentences.
___Be consistent in your use of punctuation.
___Always put periods and commas within quotation marks.
___Avoid using exclamation points.

Grammatical Mistakes
Grammar hang-ups to watch for:
___Do not switch tenses within your resume. The duties you currently perform should be in present tense, but ones you may have performed at past jobs should be in past tense.
___Capitalize all proper nouns.
___When expressing numbers, write out all numbers between one and nine, but use numerals for all numbers above 10.
___If you begin a sentence with a numeral, spell out that numeral.
___Make sure your date formats are consistent.

Choose Your Words Carefully
Phrase yourself well:
___Be on the lookout for the following easily confused words: accept (to receive), except (to exclude), all right (correct), alright (this is not a word), affect (to bring about change), effect (result), personal (private), personnel (staff members), role (a character assigned or a function), roll (to revolve).
___Use action words.

Other Potential Mistakes
Don't forget to check:
___Dates of all prior employment.
___Your address and phone number.
___Abbreviation of state names. All state abbreviations are two letters--no periods.

Design Is Important

Keep the following tips in mind:
___Don't overcrowd your resume; Allow for plenty of white space.
___Keep your resume to one page whenever possible.
___Keep the number of fonts you use to a minimum--two at the most.
___Use a font that is easy to read. Times Roman works well.
___Do not justify the lines of type on your resume. Allow the right side of the page to "rag."
___Do not over use capitalization, italics, underlines, or other emphasizing features.
___Make sure your name, address, and phone number appear on your resume and all correspondence, preferably at the top of the page.
___Print your resume on white or cream plain paper using a good quality printer. Second and third-generation photocopies are a no-no.
___Print on one side of the paper only.

What To Omit
Do not put any of the following on your resume:
___Salary history. (If requested do include in cover letter. This will allow you more room to explain what is important if you are flexible downwards or feel you deserve a significant raise.)
___Sex, age, race, marital status, or other similar personal information.

It's Friday!

Hot Dog it's Friday!

I love Fridays! I enjoy the promise of a fun, relaxing weekend ahead. It is like running a race and seeing the finish line. Fridays feel great!

My family usually wakes with the “It’s Friday” dance and even though we still have a normal day at the office and preschool, we know that our fun time together is not far away.

We load up and race off to school and the morning seems to go a bit easier.

Some work weeks really are challenging and it is nice to see the end in sight! Don't get me wrong. I have one of the best jobs in the world! I love it and it is so much better than anything else I can imagine doing for 40+ hours a week!

But it does have it's challenges and at times, like everyone else, I feel overloaded.

The weekends give us the time to slow down a bit, and that is great!

What are my plans for this weekend? None really!

I do have hopes that the kids will not Kung Fu Fight...

...and just get along.

I really would like to have a restful Saturday morning around the house...

...and for a little time to myself!

Sunday I would like time to focus on God with my family.

We'll see what the weekend holds, but for now, I am just happy for some time to relax!

So whatever your weekend holds, have fun and be careful out there!

Too soon it will be Monday again!

Have a great weekend!

Optical Illusions

I always enjoy looking at optical illusions. Hope you do to!

What do you see above? A woman looking to the left or an eskimo looking out into the night...both are there!

Stare at this and you will see a shimmering groove!







Read out loud the list of colours, remembering to read the text only.

Stare at this image long enough and you'll see it move.

Here is the dissappearing gray trick....stare at the black dot and say abra-cadabra!

Stare at the small black dot in the centre of the image and move your head slowly toward then away from the screen...

Are the gray lines straight? Hard to tell with the eyes but put a straight line next to them!

How many black dots you can see above?






I thought it nice to end with this one - wave anyone?

Enjoy your day!