Crafting an Eye-Catching Resume

Looking for a new job or wanting to change jobs? Here are some tips for preparing a resume that will get you noticed:

1. Use a heading that includes your name (typed in bold and capitals), address, phone number (where you can be reached easily), and a professional-sounding email address
2. Use a current style--check one of the many resume books or find a sample online.
3. Tailor your resume to the position for which you are applying. Rewrite it each time so your relevant qualifications for a specific position stand out. For instance, use the keywords in the job description.
4. Use a qualifications summary to highlight your strengths. Point out specific knowledge and skills.
5. Turn your job duties into specific accomplishments. Focus on three to five major points. Use specific examples.
6. Where possible, quantify these accomplishments with measurable results. For example, state that you increased sales by 40% or that you worked with a $1.25 million budget.
7. Use action verbs and keep sentences short and relevant to the position for which you are applying.
8. List your career history in chronological order from most recent backwards. Limit the number of jobs and limit them to the past 25 years.
9. Keep the resume to one or two pages.
10. If you are uploading a resume to a company’s website, be sure to eliminate bullets, underlining, italics, and unusual formatting.

Find a Mentor to Ensure Career Success

Finding the right person to be your mentor can significantly increase your chances of career success. If possible, find a mentor who is willing to teach you what you need to know to attain your goal(s). This mentor should be someone who has the character traits you admire and who is in a position you aspire to hold or is doing what you hope to do. He or she should give you straightforward information and honest, positive critiques. You don’t want someone who says, “Yes, you are wonderful,” without providing proper guidance and criticism that will mold you into the person you hope to be.

How do you find a mentor?

·        Network, network, network. You have to put yourself out there and ask for help. Most people are willing to help others.

·        Join groups and seek successful members.

·        Observe others in the workplace. Who would be the best person from which to learn?

·        Take a class, get a tutor, or hire a coach.

Your mentor should be an expert in the area in which you want to learn. In addition, he/she should be able to teach; that is, get information across in an easy-to-understand way. Some people are experts in their fields, but they cannot convey information to others clearly.

Modeling successful people who have achieved what you want provides a readymade road map to reach your goals.

Career Advancement

To advance in your career, demonstrate your value to your employer and those around you. Be highly visible and take charge of situations when warranted. Continuously challenge yourself and members of your team. Act like management material by following these guidelines:

• Take advantage of every available opportunity to learn and grow.
• Establish behaviors that stand out positively in the minds of supervisors.
• Develop excellent critical thinking skills.
• Be a self-directed worker who performs duties with proficiency.
• Act professional at all times and display integrity and ethical behavior.
• Take on extra responsibilities and help others.
• Become an expert in your field.
• Participate in lifelong learning to keep your expertise up to date.

Take a long, hard look at your personal qualities and adjust your strategies to align yourself closer to the way management level people behave. With an inner drive and a determination to achieve, you can position yourself to rise to a higher level.

POSITIVE LANGUAGE PROMOTES PERSISTENCE

One of the ways we can sustain persistence is by using positive language, both when speaking and when thinking. Negatives tend to wear us down and erode our persistence; whereas, positive language keeps us in a healthy state of mind—something necessary for pursing goals until they are realized.

Become aware of negative language. Whether you are listening to negative comments or speaking/thinking them yourself, tune them out or mentally replace negatives with positives. It may seem like an insignificant step, but it is one with a huge impact.

When the going gets tough, don’t tell yourself the path is too difficult. Tell yourself you can overcome difficulties and setbacks. Believe you can. You may have to adjust your goals and the steps you take to reach them, but positive thoughts and speech can help you make those revisions and persist in reaching the goals.

Become committed to all things positive. Instead of saying, “I give up,” say, “I’ll do it another way." Instead of “I might try…” say, “I will.” Instead of saying, “Probably…”, say, “Yes,” or “Definitely.”

A little tweak of your language may make a big difference in your ability to stick with something until you have accomplished your goals and dreams.

Time to Review Those Goals

Half the year is over. Do you know where you are in reaching your goals? Now might be a good time to evaluate and then re-evaluate the goals you set at the beginning of the year to find out what worked, what is still working, and what you can eliminate. Ask yourself the following questions in your quest to complete, revise, and set goals.

• Have you made the progress you intended to make when you set your personal and professional goals?
• If not, why not?
• Are you doing something everyday to move yourself closer to your goals?
• Is there anything else you can do to move yourself closer to your goals?
• Did you make a list of steps you can take to reach your goals?
• Do you need to revise these steps to increase their effectiveness?
• Do you have goals on your list that you should now remove or revise?
• If you have met most of your goals, can you think of new ones to set?

As the year moves forward, make your goals move toward completion.

Happy Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, and I want to thank all the veterans who have helped preserve our freedoms and our nation. A special thanks to my Dad, who served during WWII.

Today may be a good time to be thankful for all the wonderful blessings we have had in our lives, including those that made us stronger and wiser.

Career Advancement

To advance in your career, demonstrate your value to your employer and those around you. Be highly visible and take charge of situations when warranted. Continuously challenge yourself and members of your team. Act like management material by following these guidelines:

• Take advantage of every available opportunity to learn and grow.
• Establish behaviors that stand out positively in the minds of supervisors.
• Develop excellent critical thinking skills.
• Be a self-directed worker who performs duties with proficiency.
• Act professional at all times and display integrity and ethical behavior.
• Take on extra responsibilities and help others.
• Become an expert in your field.
• Participate in lifelong learning to keep your expertise up to date.

Take a long, hard look at your personal qualities and adjust your strategies to align yourself closer to the way management level people behave. With an inner drive and a determination to achieve, you can position yourself to rise to a higher level