When Friends Critique Your Resume

When Friends Critique Your Resume… Julie Walraven is a friend and professional resume writer. On Facebook she wrote: Just wrote this note to one of my top level resume clients who is getting too much advice from the wrong people I just have seen this happen too many times when well meaning friends try to tell you how to fix your resume even after it is professionally written. Julie  wrote more, which is at the end of this blog post (it is advice on how to move forward in your job search, if things arent going well).  But I dont want to focus on that I want to focus on what she wrote above.  Specifically, the idea of trusted people reviewing your resume. When I was in my Job search, I put a resume together and sent it to family and friends, with the hope that (a) they might catch any errors I missed, and perhaps (b) know of leads they could turn me on to. If they saw how awesome my resume was, they would surely recommend me right? My friends and family all had the same feedback: The resume was awesome, and I would be hired in no time. The problem was, I was not hired in no time. I started my search in January, and officially gave it up that September. Why the discrepancy between youll be hired in no time and you are the worst job seeker ever?  If my resume was good enough to impress them, why wasnt any hiring manager impressed? Why was I not getting networking introductions?  They told me my resume was awesome so what was the problem? The problem with my approach was that the people I was asking were NOT qualified to give me real advice on my resume. They were not trained in resume writing, resume critiquing, or current job search techniques. The people who told me my resume was awesome had not done a job search in many years, and in some cases, decades. What I found was that some read for typos while others read for titles.  No one read asking what is the purpose of this resume and how will it be used?  Seems like a silly question, right?  It wasnt. It was the unasked question that led to a very long, depressing job search. The problem with my resume, which might NOT be the problem with your resume, is a problem that a trained eye, like Julie or the hundreds of other qualified resume writers, should have spotted.  That is, my resume was an honest resume, listing all of my jobs Ive had. The last titles were, in this order: General Manager, VP/CIO, General Manager, and then Programmer.  Pretty cool, huh?  Helped with my ego but the problem was that the titles I was applying for were business analyst, project manager, and product manager. So when I applied for a project manager job, they would look at it and say why is this GM/VP/CIO applying for a job that is below them???  There was a significant mismatch between what my resume said I was and what I was applying for.  Again, Im not saying this is your problem, Im just saying that a person trained in this would have helped me figure that out.  Im no dummy (I guess that is debatable), but I was doing so many things, including managing the wacky job s earch emotions, that this issue eluded me. Do you have to get a resume professionally written? NO. Do you have to pay the big bucks to hire someone who has years and even decades of experience helping job seekers? NO, you dont have to. If you can, find the right person and engage with them. They might help you shave days, weeks, even months from a job search. But that is not the point of this post.  The point is to be careful what advice and feedback you get from your friends and family on your resume.  It will always come with good intentions. But it might not be right, accurate, or good. Furthermore, my resume wasnt necessarily The Thing holding me back in my job search.  It was more complex than that. it had to do with my networking, my communication, my branding, and just my daily tactics and strategies.  But for sure my resume had a part to play in my job search failure. Here is the rest of Julies facebook post, which is advice for a successful job search: When you arent getting enough traction in a job search, there are multiple variables. The most common one is that you arent being proactive enough in using your network or finding new connections to get you to your goal. Self confidence is another big player because if you have not been on the job market for a long time, it is scary to be out there. You just have to become the sales person representing you. Work hard, connect and reach out. It takes time, especially if you are in the upper salary level. Julie actually wrote her own blog post, seeded by the Facebook conversation we had on this very topic. Read it here: What Happens When Friends Critique Your Resume. When Friends Critique Your Resume… Julie Walraven is a friend and professional resume writer. On Facebook she wrote: Just wrote this note to one of my top level resume clients who is getting too much advice from the wrong people I just have seen this happen too many times when well meaning friends try to tell you how to fix your resume even after it is professionally written. Julie  wrote more, which is at the end of this blog post (it is advice on how to move forward in your job search, if things arent going well).  But I dont want to focus on that I want to focus on what she wrote above.  Specifically, the idea of trusted people reviewing your resume. When I was in my Job search, I put a resume together and sent it to family and friends, with the hope that (a) they might catch any errors I missed, and perhaps (b) know of leads they could turn me on to. If they saw how awesome my resume was, they would surely recommend me right? My friends and family all had the same feedback: The resume was awesome, and I would be hired in no time. The problem was, I was not hired in no time. I started my search in January, and officially gave it up that September. Why the discrepancy between youll be hired in no time and you are the worst job seeker ever?  If my resume was good enough to impress them, why wasnt any hiring manager impressed? Why was I not getting networking introductions?  They told me my resume was awesome so what was the problem? The problem with my approach was that the people I was asking were NOT qualified to give me real advice on my resume. They were not trained in resume writing, resume critiquing, or current job search techniques. The people who told me my resume was awesome had not done a job search in many years, and in some cases, decades. What I found was that some read for typos while others read for titles.  No one read asking what is the purpose of this resume and how will it be used?  Seems like a silly question, right?  It wasnt. It was the unasked question that led to a very long, depressing job search. The problem with my resume, which might NOT be the problem with your resume, is a problem that a trained eye, like Julie or the hundreds of other qualified resume writers, should have spotted.  That is, my resume was an honest resume, listing all of my jobs Ive had. The last titles were, in this order: General Manager, VP/CIO, General Manager, and then Programmer.  Pretty cool, huh?  Helped with my ego but the problem was that the titles I was applying for were business analyst, project manager, and product manager. So when I applied for a project manager job, they would look at it and say why is this GM/VP/CIO applying for a job that is below them???  There was a significant mismatch between what my resume said I was and what I was applying for.  Again, Im not saying this is your problem, Im just saying that a person trained in this would have helped me figure that out.  Im no dummy (I guess that is debatable), but I was doing so many things, including managing the wacky job s earch emotions, that this issue eluded me. Do you have to get a resume professionally written? NO. Do you have to pay the big bucks to hire someone who has years and even decades of experience helping job seekers? NO, you dont have to. If you can, find the right person and engage with them. They might help you shave days, weeks, even months from a job search. But that is not the point of this post.  The point is to be careful what advice and feedback you get from your friends and family on your resume.  It will always come with good intentions. But it might not be right, accurate, or good. Furthermore, my resume wasnt necessarily The Thing holding me back in my job search.  It was more complex than that. it had to do with my networking, my communication, my branding, and just my daily tactics and strategies.  But for sure my resume had a part to play in my job search failure. Here is the rest of Julies facebook post, which is advice for a successful job search: When you arent getting enough traction in a job search, there are multiple variables. The most common one is that you arent being proactive enough in using your network or finding new connections to get you to your goal. Self confidence is another big player because if you have not been on the job market for a long time, it is scary to be out there. You just have to become the sales person representing you. Work hard, connect and reach out. It takes time, especially if you are in the upper salary level. Julie actually wrote her own blog post, seeded by the Facebook conversation we had on this very topic. Read it here: What Happens When Friends Critique Your Resume.

How I Made My Entrepreneurial Goals a Reality

How I Made My Entrepreneurial Goals a Reality Ever since I was little, I’ve been an entrepreneur at heart. When I was just six years old, you could usually find me making little trinkets, setting up a “shop” in my basement, and selling them to my family and friends. I like to say that I’ve had that inner entrepreneurial fire in me all along, and it’s because I had the best role models. Both of my grandfathers, my dad, my mom and my stepdad all have had or currently have their own businesses. I saw firsthand at a very young age that discipline, a fierce work ethic, and a love of what you do can bring you great success. Fast forward several decades (I’m older than I look, wink wink), and now, I’m also a proud small business owner. I own and run Gilded Social, a fancy occasion dress shop in downtown Columbus, Ohio that is targeted toward bridesmaids. I have always been fascinated with weddings and events.   So when the opportunity to purchase this shop arose, I knew it was meant to be. It’s the perfect combination of my passion for the industry, my creative nature, and my entrepreneurial spirit. I have always felt that being asked to be a bridesmaid is one of the greatest honors a woman can give a friend or a family member. My hope for every bridesmaid is that she embraces, cherishes, and loves that. And, I want to make sure that each bridesmaid feels special, too. That’s why I am laser focused on ensuring that Gilded Social provides a complete and distinct shopping experience from start to finish. I want bridal parties (also known as our “Gilded Tribes”) to come in and feel like they are trying on beautiful dresses out of their friends’ closets or in their own stylish living room â€" it should be a relaxed, comfortable and fun experience (bubbly included, of course)! I want them to feel like they can communicate a vision to us, and we’ll nail it every time. Or, if they don’t have a vision quite yet, I want them to know that we’re experts and can help a bride hone her vision while she’s here, leaving her inspired and excited for the big day. Gilded Social is my pride and joy â€" but with it comes with a great deal of responsibility. And at times, there is a lot of stress and pressure, too.  So, for all you go-getters out there who are thinking about owning your own business, here are some of my tips: Don’t look for the PERFECT time. Sometimes in life, we sit around and wait for the perfect opportunity to make a life-changing decision. My advice is…don’t wait. There will never be a perfect time to dive in. That means that NOW is a great time. So, if you’ve been wanting to make a professional move, try a new industry or become a business owner, muster up your courage and do it! I promise you won’t regret it. (Okay, maybe sometimes you might say “What did I get myself into?” but most of the time, you’ll love every minute). Know the ins and outs of your finances. While I definitely encourage you to make the big move, make sure that you understand the finances associated with opening, buying, or running the business. Even if managing finances isn’t your strong suit, it is still your responsibility to know your financing inside and out, how your business will cash flow, and most importantly, how the business can make and lose money. And, be prepared for a stomach of steel! Accept your expertise. Having passion is paramount.   But it’s important to accept your own areas of expertise and surround yourself with a team of people who can help in the areas where you might not be able to do it all. I’ve brought in an all-star team to provide help in the areas where I need support most. Don’t be afraid or skimp on bringing in solid consultants. Pros are pros for a reason! A good support system will be absolutely critical to your success. I’ve owned Gilded Social for a little over a year and a half, and I can’t wait to see what’s in our future. We just recently expanded our physical space to help meet the needs of even more Gilded Tribes.   I’m constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to bring the Gilded Social experience to life in a way that helps everyone feel happy, excited and confident. I feel so grateful every day that I get to not only work for myself, but also do something that I love. At the end of the day, that is what it’s all about. This guest post was authored by Tanya Rutner Hartman Tanya Rutner Hartman is the owner of Gilded Social ~ The Fancy Occasion Shop, in downtown Columbus, Ohio. As owner, Tanya works tirelessly each day to ensure that Gilded Social provides a fun, comfortable and relaxing experience for all of her customers. Tanya oversees the day-to-day operations for the dress shop, as well as all other facets of successfully running a small business. When Tanya isn’t busy running her business or immersing herself in all things bridal, you can find her cheering on her beloved Buckeyes, traveling the world, or spending time with her husband, Richie, and Shih Tzu, Chewy.

If it didnt happen by 19 thats OK - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

If it didn’t happen by 19… that’s OK - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What did you come up with when you were 19 years old? Did it change the world? In case you missed it Microsoft just turned 40. Bill Gates was just 19 when he and Paul Allen founded the company. Whether you are a fan of Microsoft or not the vision and execution of their vision changed the world. Most people under the age of 40 may not remember the days when there wasn’t a personal computer on every desktop. They may not remember when you had to wait for time on a computer to do whatever task you wanted to do. Or share the single, sole, and relatively expensive PC that often sat on your kitchen table with your siblings and parents. Of course, the world has changed since then. And 40 years from now it will be very different from what it is today. You get to have a say in what that world will be in 40 years. Maybe you’ll make the next Microsoft or Facebook or Uber. The great news is that there are fewer and fewer barriers to entry. Your subject matter expertise combined with your passion and enthusiasm can change the world. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead The Good News is Age Doesn’t Matter Yes, Bill Gates and Paul Allen had a vision early on. Their vision was to put PC on every desktop. Which they did quite well achieving. Today the Windows operating system  enjoys nearly a 90 percent market share. A lot of innovation has come along because of the ubiquity and pervasiveness of the Windows operating system. But, this is not a love letter to Bill Gates, Paul Allen and the Microsoft machine. This is a note to talk about innovation and that innovation knows no age boundaries. There have been a lot of successful businesses and careers  have been founded by people well past 19 years old. A few that come to mind are Kentucky Fried Chicken, founded by Harlan Sanders (aka Colonel Sanders) when he was 62. Julia Child didn’t publish her first cookbook until she was 50. Vera Wang entered the fashion industry after she turned 40. There are countless other examples and I expect there will be many more in the coming years. Especially as Baby Boomers start their second careers as entrepreneurs. FACT: Baby Boomers, the youngest of which just turned  50 years old, are starting businesses at a higher rate than any other group of people right now. Source: Gallup This is because of many factors. Some of which are related to expertise they have earned and learned over many years of work. Others are related to their desire to  give back. And, of course, some of at a stage where  they finally have the time to do what they want as kids and other commitments abate. As I wrote about here a while back … Millennials Meet Your New Business Partners. There is going to be a lot of coordinate efforts between Millennials, Gen Z and Baby Boomers in the next few years. This is a very good thing as it will take the best of each generation and combine their strengths to create the Microsoft’s of the next 40 years. What is the Secret Formula for Success? Find a problem. Develop a Solution. Commercialize it. That’s it! What you build is not as important as that you start. It’s easy to sit back and think that your idea will never take off. Which is true … if you never take a shot. “You miss 100% of the shots you dont take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky What Will You Build? No matter what age you are now you can build something incredible. Whether you are using your hands or 1’s and 0’s the sky is the limit. Getting started can be daunting. Find a friend, perhaps a 50 something entrepreneur, that wants success as much as you do. And, get going!

Career decisions shed light on health care crisis solutions

Career decisions shed light on health care crisis solutions One way to understand the possibilities for solving the US health care crisis is to take a better look at how people make career decisions. I have a lot of doctors in my family and lots of friends who are doctors, so Im reasonably familiar with the careers of doctors, and Im astounded that were not talking about paying less for health care. Why do doctors need to make so much money? The non-financial rewards for being a doctor are larger than almost any other profession. Except teaching. Theres a reason we pay an almost non-living wage to teachers: Its rewarding and meaningful and you do not need tons of schooling to do it. So okay, theres a shortage of teachers, but not by a lot. Because the trend today is to do meaningful work and work with civic duty. Teach for America is one of the most popular choices for college grads. So the salaries cant be that out of whack for the job. Also, the Institute for the Study of Labor says, When teachers were offered cash rewards for good performance (measured by factors like grades and parental feedback) student scores on national exams significantly declined. So I dont think paying more to people with meaningful work actually gets a more meaningful performance from them. Which means that it makes sense that we pay people for what the market demands. And we could fill medical schools twice over with all the candidates who didnt get in. Dont tell me theyre not smart enough. They passed organic chemistry. Thats fine for me. So we should pay doctors a lot less. Those doctors who are motivated by helping people and doing good things for the world will stay. And those who want a lot more money can go to finance. Oh. Wait. They cant do that. Because the days of finance guys making tons of money for doing something that is really long hours and not helping anyone are over. So we should certainly also be done with guaranteeing people loads of money WHILE they do good things. So doctors who were in it for the money will need to go to professions like VP of Intellectual Property at a Fortune 500 company where they can sue small entrepreneurs and ruin their lives in the name of corporate profits. A job like that is pretty certain to be a good living and the price you pay is that you dont get to save the world. It is all adult life. It is a trade-off. You get to do good things or you get paid a lot. Its why moms dont get paid. Its why garbage men earn more than teachers. Why should doctors be any different? The doctors who complain about this will talk about insurance (premiums will be lower if no one can pay: Duh). And theyll complain about school loans (outrageously high, yes). The cost of medical school is the obvious objection to paying doctors less. Actually, the cost is a joke. Research scientists are happier, on balance, than almost any other type of career. Teaching at med school is a great job. You solve interesting problems, and teach people to save lives, and you have great hours. Those med school professors are totally overpaid. So make med school cheaper by paying the professors less. Then we can pay doctors less. Youll lose the surplus of applicants each year, but who needs that big a surplus? This is a good step to starting a universal health care system. Sure, health care probably wont be as good as what we have now. For the insured, that is. But fifty million people will be able to go to a doctor who couldnt under the current system. And yes, I know, there will be a two-tier healthcare system where many of the top-notch specialists will only work for cash. But, newsflash: This already is happening in NYC. As the mom of two special needs kids, I saw all the best doctors in NYC, for a wide range of issues, and most did not take insurance. So we already have that system. Cutting pay to doctors across the board wont create it. The only thing it will create is a way for poor people to get health care.

Improve Your Pilot Resume Writing Skills

Improve Your Pilot Resume Writing SkillsPilot resume writing will be essential if you are planning to get your career started. If you have the skill of writing one, and are qualified for it, you can surely find a great opportunity that will allow you to be in charge of your own career.Pilot resume writing is an important skill to be developed. You may not have your own skills or personality, but if you have an idea of how you want your resume to look like, this can help you work on that. This is also where the experience comes in.This can give you the ability to understand the importance of presentation when it comes to your goals. It will allow you to be able to present yourself as a person who has the ability to do a good job. You may also become qualified for one that is for the airlines, since this is the first place that most companies start looking for people. The last thing that you want to do is to make your pilot resume writing job for something that is not within your skill set.One of the things that you should be looking for in a pilot resume writing is the past life experience. Although this may seem a little hard to do, having this on your resume can lead to your getting more interviews that you would have otherwise. Being able to show that you are a person who can handle problems that come up as well as being able to handle people in the workplace can be an asset.Of course, you can also tell what kind of experiences you have had through the answers that you answer. If you can write about something that is not the easiest way, it can be easy to include this in your resume. On the other hand, if you think that the way that you wrote about the experiences is an interview question, you may need to write down the things that you have done, instead of having to rely on answers.Another tip that you can do to improve your pilot resume writing is to use the skills that you have learned through your previous experiences. There are many places online that ca n help you find out what skills you have that you can use to present them in a better way. Doing this can be one of the best ways to be able to include the skills that you have learned in a new format that may not be possible with traditional methods.Another tip is to have a career that you enjoy so that you will be able to relate to what you say. Using the experiences that you have will let you have something that you are able to relate to, and it will give you more freedom when you write. Instead of writing about how you feel, you can use your personal experiences to help you find the right words for the job.This will allow you to go from looking for jobs that do not require a lot of skills, to looking for new opportunities that allow you to learn new skills. All in all, it will allow you to grow and become the person that you want to be. This is just one way that can be used to help you increase your pilot resume writing skills.

More accolades - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

More accolades - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Yaaaay: HR World has named me one of 2007s top HR bloggers. The funny thing is, I dont consider this to be an HR blog but its obvious that happiness at work is if interest to HR professionals. I mean, the ultimate goal of HR has to be to make employees happy at work, right? Some previous accolades for the blog: Im a cool friend of Tom Peters Kim Jasons Adultitis Antidote Award One in a million blogger Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Its All About Relationships

Its All About Relationships Life is all about relationships. Life is all about relationships. Simple enough.   Is your life fulfilling?   Are you happy?   What would make you truly happy?   No, not money.   Perhaps enough money to cover BASIC needs (basic includes food and shelter, period). So with a roof over your head and food in your belly, what would make you happy? Can you list the things that come to mind?   If you put them on paper, you could look for commonalities/linkages.   If you knew the answers to that question today, what would you be able to do tomorrow to begin to make them happen? In theory, this sounds great. Too easy.   In reality, it is hard and I dont think I could do it either.   Im still trying to set some short and long term goals. I think about the times Ive been happiest in my life and at the root of that happiness was interaction with others I love.   A vacation with family,  hanging with friends, snuggling with my boys.   They all contain fleeting moments of joy.   It is that joy that I want to replicate every day. Professionally, there are few times I have been successful on my own.   Ive been part of a team, collaborated with others, received buy in from others.   We just cant do it alone. What all this means is that one of the most important skills is interpersonal relations.   It isnt taught in schools.   In order to improve them, we have to seek out our own training/education/self development.   Few  take the time to do this.   I am who I am.   Sound familiar?   We all have the potential to be more and better.   This will  require taking the initiative to assess  ourselves and seek  out methods to improve. You can read  books and articles, watch videos and subscribe to newsletters.   In the end it all  boils down to putting  it into action.    Find a mentor or friend who can coach you, keep you moving forward in your development.