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Software Information On Your Resume

2012-01-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

In one of my previous blog articles, Superman’s Resume, and Job Application Template, and Resume Aid, I promised to divide the resume into sections and explain how to write each section. My last three articles dealt with the subject of contact information, educational information, honors, association, and equipment information. I would like to move on to the SOFTWARE heading. It is very straight forward, but there are a few things you should consider when you choose this information such as your level of expertise, the job description, and job expectations.

Even Superman, aka. Clark Kent has to learn computer software to keep up! Image used by permission from www.istockphoto.com/peskymonkey.

I didn’t list Superman’s software on his resume, because well, he was born into a different era. Well, so was I, the Personal Computer or PC didn’t come around to the marketplace until the 1980’s. But nowadays for all those interested in a white collar, (office or professional) position software experience is a must.

I left a place for it on the Job Application Template also, as you can see by the heading below.

Word, Spreadsheets, Databases, and other Computer Software you Can Operate:

Under the above heading I would list all the software that you have experience with. This includes software you used on the job, in a volunteer capacity, and at home such as MS Word for writing personal letters, or even a book manuscript, etc.

Now if you are only familiar with the software because of a course you completed, than I wouldn’t list it under SOFTWARE but under the heading COURSES.

Now you don’t want to list every software program on your resume because of the length issue, just the ones that you are familiar with that match up with the job description.

Here’s an example, with the small town government of Gilbert, Arizona. Click on the link below and read the job description for an Administrative Assistant.

Administrative Assistant

Notice it reads: “Operates a personal computer, telephones, copiers and other general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, or other system software.”

It doesn’t list specific word processing, spreadsheets, or database, so list all of the word processing, spreadsheets, and database programs that you know such as MS Word 2007, and WordPerfect 2007, MS Excel 2007, and Lotus 123 2007 , etc.

Let’s look at another example for a Purchasing Agent with Beazer Homes. Here’s the link to the job description.

Purchasing Agent

Notice it reads:

“Bachelor’s degree preferred. Proficient computer skills (especially Excel, Word and Access). Minimum of 2 years field experience (Service/Superintendent). General construction knowledge. 2 years minimum single family/multifamily purchasing agent experience.”

So your resume will look like this. Be sure to list the most up to date version of the software that you have experience with. Employers will assume that you will know any older version if that’s what they use.

SOFTWARE

MS Access 2007, MS Excel 2007, MS Word 2007

If you don’t have any experience in software, but have completed courses than don’t list the heading SOFTWARE. Just present the information below.

COURSES

MS Access 2007, MS Excel 2007, MS Word 2007

I like to list software, and courses alphabetically so there is a pattern that is easy for a recruiter to scan quickly since studies show that recruiters only spend an average of 30 seconds to scan a resume in order to make a decision.

Let’s say you don’t have experience in Word, or Excel or Access because you have used Macs all your life and not PC’s. What should you do? List the software that you do know because this will show that you can pick up software quickly, and hopefully a recruiter will consider you anyway.

Some of you are reentering the job market after being a work at home Mom, or you are entering the job market after being a student or you are leaving the military. Perhaps some of my readers are entering an office job after working in construction and you just don’t have that many computer software skills, or have taken any courses. What should you do?

You are going to have to work on that because of the stiff competition for jobs out there in the labor market. Most employers, although not all are not willing to train someone when they can hire someone already trained. Remember the labor market is like any other market and it is driven by supply, and demand.

However, I realize that you don’t have a lot of money to learn software, but guess what? There are free courses out there. Yes, that’s true! Absolutely free!

Did you know that the federal government has even put money into their budget to train you for free? Well, nothing is ever completely free your tax dollars pay for it, so you might as well use it. You’ve already paid for it.

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 under the direction of the US Department of Labor Employment and Training division has partnered with state, city, and county governments in providing training to get you back to work. They have set up in all 50 states One Stop Centers designed to get you back to work. They offer a variety of services from job networking clubs, resume instruction, interview techniques, and guess what else Basic Computer Classes, and Internet Search classes!To find one in your area visit the link below and then follow the appropriate links.

Department of Labor-Employment and Training

Or visit your state, city or county’s website to find the One Stop location nearest you.

Besides the One Stop Centers local libraries are now offering basic computer classes, and Internet search classes. Visit your local library for more information. Another free service!

Besides government services the software companies themselves often offer free tutorials that you can take on-line. Of course this requires a computer and an Internet connection. If you don’t have one there again you may need to use your local libraries computer and internet connection.
So to find a tutorial for MS Word you would look on the Microsoft website or you can always google, i.e. search on Google using the following words, “Free Word Tutorial,” etc. Be sure that the tutorial is indeed free, that you don’t need to purchase the software, or something else in order to use the tutorial. Usually you can perform any function on the tutorial that you could do with live software but print. This is to prevent you from never buying the software.

Another way you can avail yourself of a free service is to search for computer schools in your area. Sometimes they will give away one free course to try to entice you to purchase more courses. Or maybe not a whole course, but just one free introductory class to the course.

And still one more way to learn a skill is to purchase the software program, and then go to your local bookstore or computer store and order a book that you can utilize in training. This is not free of course, but might cost less than taking a class at a community college. Also sometimes the book has a tutorial CD in it for the price of the book. There again you can do everything that the live program does but print.

Fry’s Electronics and their helpful staff helped me pick up a book on the publishing software called Quark, complete with a tutorial disk which I used to educate myself. The $30 book cost less than the $3,000 program would, and it cost less than the class at my local community college.

Unfortunately, by the time I learned Quark it was out of favor with employers. Go figure! So that’s another problem be sure that you really need to learn the program before you do. Programs like MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and MS Access won’t go out of style too soon, but the other ones, well peruse the job descriptions in your field to see if you really should be learning this program.

Another thing you could do instead of taking a class is to pay your 20 year old whiz kid out of work neighbor to tutor you in a program. Just a thought? Or maybe you could work out a trade where you paid him or her in homemade brownies, cupcakes, grapefruit from your tree etc. Hey, I live in Arizona we have an over abundance of grapefruit growing in our yard. Anyway, you get the picture.

Another way you can learn software, and gain work experience is in volunteering. Does your favorite charity need office help? Are they willing to train you how to use their software? If so, then take advantage of this, and put the experience on your resume.

Like I said when I graduated from college, I had taken the basic software packages that were out at the time, but they kept changing quickly. I couldn’t afford to keep taking classes to keep up so I used the methods above to stay current.

That’s what I did and it turned out all right. If I can do it so can you. And I imagine that’s what Superman is doing right now if he wants to stay current in his field of journalism, as Clark Kent.

Besides if I knew everything about the job before I went into it, I would be totally bored, and would stop learning and growing. So my rule of thumb is if I know at least 80% of the software listed in the job description I apply. I figure I can learn the other 20% quickly, and that’s what I tell the employer in my cover letter, and in the interview.

On the converse side if I know less than 80%, I decide I need to learn more, and I do. I also don’t apply until I do because I know it is a waste of time and the employer won’t even look at me. Now of course these guidelines apply to most of the white collar work force out there but not to computer engineers. They not only have to know how to operate the programs but to program them as well. I’ll leave it to engineers to write their own specialized resumes, and obtain their own specialized training.

But for the rest of us, remember nothing ventured, nothing gained. Remember to put what you know on your resume, and if you have absolutely no software skills whatsoever, you might have to take more classes. Utilize free software tutorials on-line, or volunteer somewhere to gain experience in operating that personal computer.

Honors, Equipment, and Associations on Your Resume

2011-11-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog entry titled, “Superman’s Resume, and Job Application Template, and Resume Aid,” I promised to divide the resume into sections and explain how to write each section. My last several blog entries dealt with the subject of contact information, and educational information. I would like to move on to equipment, honors and scholarships, and association information. It is very straight forward, but there are a few things you should consider when you choose this information such as the time frame, length of the resume, job description, and job expectations.

Superman was offered the key to the city of Metropolis as one of his honors. What are your honors? Picture from www.wikimedia.org

Let’s start with my previous example Superman’s Resume. His organization attributes included the Justice League of America (1946 to Present), where he was Superboy, moved up to Superman, and was President of the Justice League for a time. Under the heading ASSOCIATION, or ASSOCIATIONS for more than one association, it could look something like this.

ASSOCIATION

Justice League of America (1946 to Present)

Superboy (1946 to 1960)

Superman (1960 to Present)

President (1965 to 1966)

Now let’s move back to some more modern up to date examples. On my Job Application Template, and Resume Aid, I suggested that you provide a complete list of the following:

Equipment You Can Operate
Honors and Scholarship
Associations

Okay, you have your complete list, and that’s good but that doesn’t mean that you should list your complete list on your resume or your application blank.

I counseled one young college graduate who asked me to review his resume and offer suggestions. He wanted to put down every organization that he ever belonged to complete with Cub Scouts in elementary school. His list for organizations alone took up two whole pages. He was very proud of all his accomplishments, and no way could I convince him to cut down the list. Remember in my previous blog article I said you would be lucky to get a recruiter to read 30 seconds at the most. Do you really want to only share with them that you were once a Cub Scout who earned 50 merit badges?

Of course not. You know that no recruiter will care that you were once a Cub Scout when you were 10. Let’s say that you should only list the organizations on your application aid that that you are presently affiliated with, and then choose the top 2 or 3 to place on your resume. You should choose those that have to do with either the position you are applying for (say leadership for a management position) or the industry or occupation that you are interested in.

You can break this rule if you are recent college graduate, and I define recent as one year or less beyond graduation, then you can list the top 3 organizations that you were involved in with high school or college. Keep in mind that if you list any religious or political organizations you are opening yourself up to potential discrimination by a recruiter.

Did you notice Superman’s ASSOCIATION above? You can set up your climb up the organization’s ladder the same way or you can list the various committees or events you were involved in below the organization’s name.
I like to peruse Yahoo Answers in order to get ideas for this column where college and high school as well as middle aged people like to ask questions for the general public to answer.

Under the category of Careers and Employment a recent college graduate wanted to know where to place his GPA and his Dean’s List accomplishments. He wanted to place it under the heading EDUCATION, after his college address.

When I answered, the yahoo question, I replied don’t place it there place it under HONORS, or HONORS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. Why do these know it all new college graduates ignore me? He flagged my response, and in the comment section accused me of being “uppity.” In other words he didn’t like my answer.

People, I am only sharing information that works for me, and documenting the formats that the recruiters like to see. Here in Phoenix, Arizona where I reside, I am getting interviews but my cohorts aren’t even getting a phone call. According to The Arizona Republic, the state's major newspaper, there is an average of 500 applicants for every job opening in the Phoenix metropolitan area. My resume is getting through the filters. Obviously I am doing something right. Don’t you think?

Anyway back to HONORS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. One recent college wrote on Yahoo Answers that he didn’t earn any honors, or scholarships and he felt bad that all the resume examples showed that category. Look people it is okay if you didn’t earn any honors or scholarships. Do you think we can all be President of our senior class, or go to school on a scholarship? Of course, not. Believe me there’s room in the job market for average people, doing average things. Even Superman, as a Cub Reporter for The Daily Planet was a follower, getting coffee, and performing small tasks. I think this young generation thinks that they all have to do wonderful things like Superman saving the world 50 billion times, and receiving the key to the City of Metropolis from the Mayor, and so forth. You don’t have to be Superman to land a job, but if you are flaunt it!

So if you have no honors or scholarships to report drop the category from your resume. Don’t put it on your resume and leave it blank! And of course if you have honors but no scholarship only list HONORS, and vice versa.

I went to college on 2 academic scholarships, and I am proud of it. But two decades later believe me recruiters don’t care to see it on a midlife resume. If you have been out of school longer than a year, don’t list honors and scholarships on your resume; recruiters want to know what you have been doing lately. I don’t care how proud you are of those accomplishments, and don’t keep reporting me to the Yahoo committee for saying so. Okay, okay I hear you complain, you can’t find a job two years out of college to put on that resume. In that case, maybe you can stretch it to two years.

If you are a long time professional don’t forget your honors either. Employee of the year, employee of the month? Organizational or industrial rewards? Bonus for a job well done? List them under HONORS. Safety Award, well maybe not? Be selective.

Moving on to the heading EQUIPMENT. You should list any equipment you can operate on your Job Application Template and Resume Aid. You should list such equipment as fax, personal computer, copier, adding machine, dump truck, coffee machine, blender, or whatever is appropriate for your job, but you should be selection on the resume. Only list equipment on a resume if the job description specifically requires that you know how to operate said equipment.

I am going to give you some examples that don’t include Superman. Look at the job description that I pulled from a post that I discovered on Career Builder. The employer is looking for a Dump Truck Driver.

OTR Owner Operators only with frameless dump experience. Home on weekends. 76 year old company. Call Doug at Kerns Trucking 800-821-0120 ext. 8

So since frameless dump experience is listed in the job description on the resume you should list:

EQUIPMENT

Frameless Dump Truck

Here’s another example of a job description for a city clerk that I pulled off of the City of Gilbert, Arizona a small town government.

Skills: Operates a personal computer, telephones, copiers and other general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, or other system software.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

I don’t think I would list the above equipment except on an employment application, or a resume. If under the heading SKILLS on your resume, you list word processing, spreadsheets, and administrative skills the recruiter is going to assume you know how to operate a personal computer, telephone, and etc. It’s kind of redundant and takes up too much limited space on a resume.

However, if you are applying for a state or federal position instead of a small town city position the computerized recruiting system will probably filter you out based on whether you have the words personal computer, telephone, copier, and general office equipment on your resume or not. Damn the length. When applying to a large bureaucratic employer like the State of Arizona, it doesn’t matter if your resume is 10 pages long, as long as it gets through those extensive government filters that are purposefully designed to weed out a large amount of applicants. A real live person doesn’t get to apply some common sense in reading your resume first thing, and a non reasoning machine that isn’t bored by the length is going to filter your resume out first. I would list the equipment below utilizing the same words that are listed in the job description because those specific words are what the computerized filter system will be programmed to look for. In other words don’t use the acronym PC instead of Personal Computer, the computer won’t recognize the acronym.

I like to list equipment alphabetically so when a real live person finally reads the resume, he or she will note a pattern, and thus the resume is easier to skim.

Here is the bureaucratic example:

EQUIPMENT

General Office Equipment, Personal Computer, Telephone

Now let’s say you just graduated from high school and are looking for an entry level office job, and you can’t operate the above equipment. Don’t feel bad. Everyone starts somewhere, even your successful parents. If you can operate at least 80% of the equipment listed on the resume, you can learn the other 20% on the job, especially if you apply to a company that’s open to training people.

However, if the job description states you must, notice the word required or must have ABC experience and you don’t have it, don’t bother on applying it’s just a waste of time. But if the job description states that “ABC, DEF, and GHI” are required experiences, and “JKL, MNO, and PQR” experience is desired or optional but not required, and you only have “ABC, DEF, and GHI” experience go ahead and apply. It sounds like the employer will be willing to train you in “JKL, MNO, and PQR” experience.

That’s what I did when I graduated from high school, and it worked out all right. My employer decided I was trainable, and was willing to train.

Besides if I knew everything about the job before I went into it, I would be totally bored, and would stop learning and growing. Remember nothing ventured, nothing gained. And if you have absolutely no skills whatsoever, you might have to take more classes. There’s opportunity out there for the budgetary deprived. Take free software tutorials on-line, or volunteer somewhere to gain experience in operating that personal computer. Broaden your horizons.

If you aren’t a new high school or college graduate and are a mid-life career changer you might have to do the same thing. A well written resume will only get you so far. Remember, you should only put on the resume what is truthful. If you don’t once you start the job you will be found out soon enough, and get yourself fired rather quickly, anyway.

So you don’t have to be Superman and know all things to get that job, but it certainly helps. What helps even more is communicating to that potential employer that you can do that job, and the only way they will know this is that you have to put it on your application blank, and/or your resume. The recruiter isn’t Superman either. He doesn’t have X-Ray vision either; he can’t read your mind. It’s up to you to be apparent, and visual on your resume.

Good Luck Superman!

Education Information on Your Resume

2011-10-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog posts namely Superman’s Resume, and Job Application Template, and Resume Aid, I promised to divide the resume into sections and explain how to write each section. My last blog post dealt with the subject of contact information. I would like to move onto Educational Information. It may look straight forward, and in a lot of ways it is, but there are some nuances you should consider in your formation.

Clark J. Kent graduates, aka, Superman. What should he put on his resume? From wikipedia.org

Let’s start with my previous example Superman’s Resume. His educational experience looked like this.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Metropolis University, Metropolis, NY 55555.

COURSES

Journalism, Public Relations, Flying, Typing

My Job Application Template, and Resume Aid form in regards to Education looked like this.

EDUCATION INFORMATION:

High School Education:

Highest Education Level Completed:

Employer Sponsored/Industry Sponsored etc. Courses, Certificates, and Dates

I would like to go ahead now and further explain the format. One should list the highest level of Education completed whether that be high school, community college, university, or vocational college. The employer will assume if you went on to college or vocational school you have a high school diploma. You may need your high school information for an application, but if you have any higher level education you should only list that on your resume.

Superman’s resume demonstrates the format you should use, degree first, such as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc., Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, etc, Major Journalism, Business Administration, Business Management, and then comes the full name of the school spelled out no initials, such as Metropolis University, not MU, and then the postal address of the school, Metropolis, NY 55555. Leave off the date of graduation, and the GPA, Dean’s List information, etc. You can place any GPA, Dean’s List, and scholarships etc. under the heading HONORS AND SCHOLARSHIP on your resume if you choose. I know recent graduates are so keen in showing their accomplishments off, but if you have graduated over 5 years ago, sorry, don’t put your GPA on your resume, nobody cares anymore.

If you are completing a degree it should look the same as above but it should include your expected date of graduation; expected because you don’t know what could intervene to delay your graduation plans. It should look like this. For those graduating this May, you should be sending out resumes now anyway, and starting to look for a job. Get your resume together early and get a jump on your competition.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Metropolis University, Metropolis, NY 55555, Expected Date of Graduation May 2010.

And for those of you who have completed your Freshman, Sophomore, or even Junior year and have no intention of ever graduating try listing your education like the sample below.

EDUCATION

Junior Year Journalism, Metropolis University, Metropolis, NY 55555.

And then under courses highlight the specialized courses that you completed that are applicable to the job you are applying for just like Superman did. Don’t put down the basics English, Math, Science, etc.

COURSES

Journalism, Public Relations, Flying, Typing

Or if you graduated from community college before you went on to a university your resume can look like this.

EDUCATION

Associate of Arts, Journalism, Metropolis University, Metropolis, NY 55555.

ADDITIONAL JUNIOR LEVEL UPPERCLASSMAN COURSES

Broadcasting, Journalism, Political Science, Public Relations

Now if you have been out of school for awhile, you don’t want to list your courses you took in college, specialized or not, although you want to list the specialized courses that your employer insisted that you complete, or additional courses that you completed to update your skills in your industry, or even additional courses that you completed to move into another industry. This will help all you mid-life career changers out there.

If you are a recent high school graduate looking for a job you shouldn’t forget those specialized or vocational courses that you have already completed in high school such as Agribusiness, Broadcasting, Cosmetology, Journalism, Newspaper, Vet Assistance, Library Science, Yearbook etc. Once again leave off the basics English, Math, Reading, Science, etc.

And if you are graduating this May from high school, then your resume should look like Superman’s, aka Clark Kent’s below.

EDUCATION

High School Diploma, Smallville High School, 555 W. Main Street, Smallville, Kansas 55555, Expected Date of Graduation May 2010.

COURSES

Journalism, Newspaper, Yearbook

A GED graduating student should look like the example below. Of course, if you already have the GED leave off the expected dates.

EDUCATION

General Equivalency Diploma, Smallville, Kansas 55555, Expected Date of Graduation May 2010.

And if you have just left the military don’t forget to list your courses, and certificates that are transferrable to other fields. When in doubt if they are applicable list them. Just don’t get too lengthy.

Under the heading CERTIFICATES, you want to list the certificates that you have obtained that are applicable to your industry such as a Food Handler’s License, or a Substitute Teaching Certificate. Make sure to also put the expiration date of your license on the resume.

You especially want to list certificates and courses that you have completed that are asked for in the job description. A lot of Internet computerized filters will filter out your resume for consideration if you don’t have these important certificates listed.
If you aren’t getting job interviews maybe this is the problem? Review your completed courses, and certifications and make sure they are listed on your resume. If you need a course or certificate, research financial aids options, and motivate yourself to pay for those courses, and certificates yourself, not waiting for some employer to pay for it.

I like to list courses and certificates alphabetically. I showed a former recruiter my format and he said this was great idea because there was an identifiable pattern, and he could look for information quickly. Recruiters usually peruse your resume for a minute if you are lucky, and thirty seconds if you are not, before they make a decision to interview you or not, thus you want to make your resume as easy to read as possible.

Now all this formatting is fine, but I know there are readers out there wondering if they should even put their higher education on their resume at all. If you are anything like me you have run into situations during interviews where the employer tells you that you are overqualified, and that they are afraid to hire you because you won’t be happy, and leave. And I know a lot of you are so desperate that you don’t care if you are quote overqualified or not you will take any job in order to survive. I’m sure a lot of you are wondering in that case should you put your higher education on your resume or not? Or maybe you should just look for jobs that you are qualified for, not under or over qualified?

Well, that all depends. If you do this you cut down on your opportunities, although you may get more interviews this way. And if you leave off your education this may raise more questions in your prospective employer’s mind. You see I have had jobs such as a Substitute Teacher that require a degree and if I don’t list my degree and I list all my work experience then the prospective employers will wonder how I ever got that job. And if I don’t list those jobs in addition to leaving off my education, then the employer will wonder what I had been doing all that time? “Was I in prison, they ask, or involved in some illegal activity such as drugs, or prostitution?”

And then there’s the situation where you start at a job say as a clerk, and you left off your education. Down the road there’s a promotional opportunity in management that requires a degree, and now suddenly you apply for that promotion, and you list on your resume that degree that you never mentioned before. You are going to look like a liar. And you already signed the application form claiming everything on the form is truthful. Is it truthful if you leave off a degree? Is this just as bad as claiming a degree that doesn’t exist? You really shouldn’t claim a degree that you never received. If you have a lot of experience, this is usually accepted under that word “equivalent” that was asked for on the job description in lieu of a degree. Either way, you can get fired for lying on your application. You agree that your application is complete and truthful, when you sign the signature line, after reading the fine print in the application. Be sure to read it.

And even if your job never lends itself to any promotional opportunities you still are going to have to guard everything you say at your new job. You can’t mention that you learned such and such while in school, or casually mention how much you enjoyed playing in the University’s marching band, if your application, and resume never mentioned that you attended a university.

On the other hand maybe you should leave off some degrees. I knew some people who received JD degree, a law degree, but never got around to practicing and obtaining a license. They left this information off their applications so that they don’t appear overqualified. It also makes them look a little flakey that they put in so much time and money getting a degree and then changed their mind when it came to actually practicing law.

The same problem arises with vocational school. Some people go to cosmetology school, or automotive mechanic vocational school, and then never practice that particular vocation, so there again people choose to leave it off their resume.
Another reason, some people may hesitate to list education, and courses on their resumes are that they obtained this education while completing a stay in prison. Well, you probably are going to have to admit your prison stay anyway, and in some cases this won’t affect your consideration for the position, so I recommend going ahead and listing your education, anyway.

Another reason why some people may hesitate to list education is that they attended a university overseas. They are afraid of being discriminated against because of their ethnicity, or are afraid that the employer may not accept the university’s degree as legitimate. I would also list this education anyway. Don’t automatically assume that the employer will be prejudiced against you, or your school.

I also know some people that received Master’s degrees that leave this information off of some applications, and resumes if they perceive a benefit in doing so. It works for them. Later on if they are interested in some promotion at work, they admit to not originally listing it on their resume in order to not look overqualified. Of course, they have the diploma to prove that they actually graduated if anyone asks.

So even though in some cases leaving off higher education is beneficial such as in a Master’s degree or doctorate situation, I believe a bachelor’s degree it’s a different story. More people work outside their major of study then in it. A bachelor’s degree in any subject shows you can learn, and having a degree in another area is not such an impediment to switching careers. Also, even though the company may not require a bachelor’s degree as listed in the job description the degree may indeed help you to obtain a job. Let’s say you have a degree, and all the other applicants only have a high school diploma, you may be considered first for the job. For example, when I worked in the ‘80’s as a clerk for one of the major metropolitan cities, the city’s government required a high school diploma for a clerical job, but every applicant they hired had at least an associate degree or bachelor’s degree. So when the labor market is tight like it was in the ‘80’s, and is now, the companies will probably pay a high school diploma wage, but want to hire a college graduate. Keep that in mind.
So just because the job description doesn’t require a degree don’t consider automatically consider that you will be considered overqualified. My rule of thumb is when in doubt put in on your resume.

So the rule of thumb is list your highest education level received on your resume, however if your associate degree, and bachelor’s degree or your bachelor’s degree and master’s degree are not in the same field, depending upon the requirements of the position you are applying for both may need to go on your resume. If you have a really good reason for leaving off your education, and you truly perceive this as a benefit to yourself, you may leave off your education.

As you can see there are no hard and fast rules. Do what works for you. I hope my article was helpful in helping you to design your resume in regards to your educational accomplishments. I tried to cover all situations from high school graduate, recent college graduate, graduating high school student, graduating college student, college or high school dropout, GED graduate, career professional, mid-life career changers, and retiring military personnel. There are a lot of nuances involved in deciding what educational accomplishment to put on your resume, but once you decide the format is rather straight forward. Good luck in job hunting to you all!

Contact Information on Your Resume

2011-09-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

Superman's contact information includes a phone booth. What is your contact information? From wikipedia.org

You noticed that I listed Clark Kent, aka Superman’s, middle initial J. Well, there’s a reason why I included a middle initial. There may be 2 Clark Kents in town. What if Clark P. Kent was a rounder who appeared on his Facebook page under compromising circumstances with women? And what if Clark J. Kent’s future employer googled Clark Kent and ran across Clark P. Kent’s Facebook page and not knowing Clark’s middle initial said to himself, “I’m not going to hire him! He’s a lout!”

If you included the middle initial, and see Clark P. Kent’s Facebook page then you won’t confuse him with Clark J. Kent. By the way, I googled Clark Kent, and found out that tradition lists his middle name as Jerome or Joseph, thus the J. So there, you thought I picked any initial out of the alphabet, didn’t you?

I would like to say one more thing about listing a name on your resume. A friend of mine Patricia, who was an electrical engineer by trade, always listed her first name as Pat on professional documents, including a resume, so as to lead people to believe she was a he, Patrick. This way she would get more interviews in a male dominated trade. Did it work? Yes, but as soon as they saw a very feminine looking Patricia the jig was up. Illegal or not the recruiter made sure that Patricia knew that the company only wanted to hire a he, so in a way it was a waste of time on Patricia’s part. You be the judge on how to list your first name, and middle names, such as using your initials such as CJ Kent, etc. I suppose if you were a male kindergarten teacher in a female dominated field listing only your first two initials may be to your benefit also. You decide.

Moving on, your address. Should you list a PO Box or your house address? Well, it all depends. I would list your house or apartment as an address and not a PO Box if you are stable and not moving from one friends’ house to another. I know sometimes one becomes homeless without a job, and rely on a bevy of friends that want to help. If you need a stable address then pay for a PO Box, and list it on your resume. A house address makes you look more stable, than a PO Box or an apartment address but this brings up other issues.

How? You ask. Well, I was living at my Mom’s and Dad’s house and had listed their address on my resume. The recruiter wanted to know how I could afford a house payment when she could tell on the resume that I haven’t worked in ages. She asked if I was involved in prostitution or another illegal activity in order to afford this house payment. She also wanted to know if I lived with my boyfriend, and was it his house? I had listed Miss not Ms. on my application, so that ruled out a husband, of course. Big mistake. I told the recruiter it was my parents’ house. I looked like a moocher. I couldn’t win. In her eyes, I was either a whore, or a tramp, or a moocher. True story.

Another problem that may occur with a house address is the distance from the house to the job. At another interview occurring later that same year, the interviewer wanted to know how could I drive from the far East of the Valley (Phoenix Metro Area) 150 miles one way every day to go to work in West Phoenix, the far West end of the Valley, and be on time, and refreshed. She told me that they gave up hiring people who lived more than 10 miles away as they were always late and cranky when they finally fought the commuter traffic to arrive at work. I told her I didn’t own the house, and I was ready to move to a close apartment as soon as tomorrow.

Now if I apply for a job more than 30 miles away in my cover letter I mention that I will move closer as soon as possible.

Okay, I’ve written a ton, and I’m only on the home phone. Obviously you are going to have to have an easy way for a recruiter to get in touch with you, hence a phone. Sometimes though you can’t pay the phone bill, if so ask your neighbor if you can use his phone number, and see if he or she will take messages for you.

My mother and father used to own a Laundromat in East Mesa, and the business was located close to a tent encampment of homeless people who lived in the dry river desert bed. The homeless would somehow get enough change to come in and wash their clothes once a week. When my parents owned the laundry in the early ’700’s, this time period preempted cell phones and thus no phone in the desert. For two families Mom offered to let them use our pay phone, and our business address for their mail. We would take messages for them, and pass the messages along when we would see them again. Because of this the 2 homeless people got a job, and worked themselves and their family out of the river bed, and into a trailer park.

So if you want to be a Super Man, or Super Woman let someone without an address or a phone use yours to get a job. St. Joseph, the Worker, a Roman Catholic employment center in Phoenix, Arizona does just that. It lets homeless men and women give out the employment center’s phone number, and address, and of course the staff takes messages. Without this help no one would get off the streets.

Speaking of your telephone, also, remember that employers like the world to be made easy for them. If Clark J. Kent in New York was always calling home to talk to his parents Martha, and Jonathan Kent in Smallville, Kansas then the recruiters would get a busy signal, and go on to the next applicant. I don’t care if you are Superman, you aren’t in so much in demand that people will try to reach you forever. I learned this from experience after I found out that I was passed over for a supervisory position because I wasn’t home to answer the phone. All Target did was go on to the next qualified applicant. Obviously, you can’t live for a phone call, so there has to be some balance. Speaking of balance I have learned from experience, recruiters love to call at the end of their business day at 10 minutes to 5, so especially try to keep the phone free during that time. Of course modern day Supermen and women are always out saving the world so always invest in an answering machine for the times you aren’t at home, and check your messages remotely many times during the day.

It’s also good to have a message phone either a cell phone or a neighbor’s phone in case recruiters give up on the busy signal and try the other number.

I still haven’t run out of items to discuss, and I am ready to discuss the newest contact devise email.

I have had recruiters never call me, but send me an email that reads, “Your interview has been scheduled at such and such time, in such and such place, please arrive promptly.”

So in other words, no asking if you can make it, no courtesy phone call, just an email that basically says in so many words, if you want this job, show up. You can easily see who has the power there can’t you?

I always wondered what if I didn’t have an email address to list it on my resume? Would they call instead? I don’t know. And I don’t want to find out either.

Okay, I know most of you can’t afford an internet connection, and can’t email. There are usually community classes where you can learn how to email. Check at your local library or local employment offices. Also, the library, and your local employment office will help you set up an email account for free on yahoo, or gmail.com. Maybe a family member or neighbor will let you use their computer for emailing, and will show you how to do it.

Once again, employers like to send email at the close of their business day, and if the email comes from the corporate office it may be coming from a different time zone. I would check your email at the end of your business day, every business day, in case an employer wants you to show up or call them tomorrow for an interview. I’m defining a business day as a business day for your industry usually when the Human Resource office is open, Monday through Friday.

Once again, I’m not oblivious to the trouble of checking your email every day. If you can’t afford an internet connection, and a computer, I know this takes gas money to run down to the library to use its free computers, but I can’t find a way around this unless you talk a neighbor into helping you. I think you can deduct the price of an internet connection off your taxes as a job hunting expense, but I’m not sure.

Once again you can be a Super man or Super woman for Christmas or someone’s birthday by gifting them a gas gift card.

Okay, I think I’ve covered all the Supermen and Superwomen, Superboys, and Supergirls’ job hunting contact information, and I am at a whopping 1,800 words. So did I fulfill my promise to discuss a very important area on the resume, contact information? I think so. Guess what? It took almost 1,800 words to do it.

Job Application Template, and Resume Format Aid

2011-08-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Applicants that are job hunting need to be organized. It’s crazy trying to fill out an application in person, and realize that you forgot to bring all your information. Or you get to the library to fill out an application thinking you can use the phone book or on-line to retrieve your information, and realize there’s a line and you are only limited to using the computer for an hour.

It’s also easier to write a resume once you’ve done the research, on yourself. The form below will help you organize your information so you can make out an application and a resume with ease, and this form will save you important time. And believe it or not you may think that you will never forget your social security number, or your job duties at your last position that you held for 20 years, but after you’ve been out of work six months you will. It’s helpful to write it down while it’s fresh in your mind, and you are not under pressure filling out a job application.

Be sure to bookmark this blog entry because in future features, I will be describing this form in detail, by explaining why you need this information, what the employer will do with this information, and how you should gather this information. Of course savvy adults that have been job hunting for awhile will all know this information, but your kids coming right out of college or high school may not know all this; bookmark it for them.

Please use this information for personal use only, and modify it to fit your needs. It is copyrighted, and not to be used by professional employment counselors, or used in your book you are writing about job hunting.

Research yourself, and write it down! Image by wikipedia.org

JOB APPLICATION TEMPLATE, AND RESUME FORMAT AID

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name:

Address:

Home Phone or Cell Phone:

Message Phone or Cell Phone:

EDUCATION INFORMATION:

School information, highest level completed, High School or University name, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts, etc., or Associate in …, College, Major, Address, and level completed, or if you didn’t finish college list the courses completed. If you are a senior graduating soon list expected date of graduation:

Employer Sponsored/Industry Sponsored etc. Courses, Certificates, and Dates:

Special Skills:

Equipment You Can Operate:

Word, Spreadsheets, Databases, and other Computer Software You Can Operate:

Honors and Scholarships

Associations

CREDIT, AND BACKGROUND CHECK INFORMATION:

Social Security Number:

Driver’s License Number, State, Class, and Expiration Date:

Make, Model, and Year of Vehicle, and Registration:

Previous Addresses:

First Previous Address:

Second Previous Address:

Third Previous Address:

REFERENCE INFORMATION:

Business References

Co-Worker References (At least 3)

First Previous Co-Worker Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Personal Phone Number, Business Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Second Previous Co-Worker Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Personal Phone Number, Business Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Third Previous Co-Worker Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Supervisor References: (At least 3)

First Previous Supervisor Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Personal Phone Number, Business Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Second Previous Supervisor Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Personal Phone Number, Business Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Third Previous Supervisor Reference: Name, Position, Business Name, Personal Address, Personal Phone Number, Business Phone Number, Number of Years Known:

Personal References:

(No family members. Use references from Volunteer Jobs first than personal friends. Only to be used if you lack Business references. Of course if your friend or family member works for the company you are applying to or if he or she has a connection to someone at that organization, use his/her name. In state references only.)

First Personal Reference: Name, Position, Business Name or Volunteer Organization, Personal Address, Phone Number, Number of Years Known, How You Met:

Second Personal Reference: Name, Position, Business Name or Volunteer Organization, Personal Address, Phone Number, Number of Years Known, How You Met:

Third Personal Reference: Name, Position, Business Name or Volunteer Organization, Personal Address, Phone Number, Number of Years Known, How You Met:

WORK EXPERIENCE, AND NETWORKING INFORMATION:

Copy information from work experience below and go back at least 10 calendar years or as far back as necessary. For example, if you want to go back into selling men’s suits and you haven’t done that type of work for 20 years, list the information for that position that you held 20 years ago. If you are a recent high school graduate list babysitting, and lawn maintenance work experience above. You don’t need to go back 10 years if you are a recent college or high school graduate. Apply some common sense, no one expects you to have a job as an infant. No one cares what you did in high school if you just graduated from college; just list work experience since graduating from high school.

Work Experience with Promotions

Job Title(s):

Business Name:

Business Address:

Business Human Resource Employment Verification Phone Number:

Beginning, and ending date: (in first job title position)

Beginning, and ending date: ( in second job title position)

Beginning, and ending date: (in third job title position)

Beginning, and ending Salary, per hour, per day, per week, per month: :(in first job title position)

Beginning, and ending Salary, per hour, per day, per week, per month: :(in second job title position)

Beginning, and ending Salary, per hour, per day, per week, per month: :(in third job title position)

Type of Business/Industry:

Job Description of First Position:

Job Accomplishments: Example, Consistently exceeded (name quota here), Awarded (name award, or honor)

Networking Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential people to keep in contact with for possible references, or information on job leads in your industry

Job Description of Second Position:

Job Accomplishments: Example, Consistently exceeded (name quota here), Awarded (name award, or honor)

Networking Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential people to keep in contact with for possible references, or information on job leads in your industry

Job Description of Second Position:

Job Accomplishments: Example, Consistently exceeded (name quota here), Awarded (name award, or honor)

Networking Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential people to keep in contact with for possible references, or information on job leads in your industry

Work Experience Without Promotions

Job Title:

Business Name :

Business Address:

Business Human Resource Employment Verification Phone Number:

Beginning, and ending date:

Beginning, and ending Salary, per hour, per day, per week, per month: :

Type of Business/Industry:

Job Description:

Job Accomplishments: Example, Consistently exceeded (name quota here), Awarded (name award, or honor):

Networking Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential people to keep in contact with for possible references, or information on job leads in your industry:

...And so on for the past 10 years or whatever is necessary.

VOLUNTEERING, AND NETWORKING INFORMATION:

If you are a recent college or high school graduate this includes school/club activities such as Band, Spirit Club, Spanish Club etc. Also includes community activities, or even neighbor activities like babysitting for free, etc. If you are not a recent graduate, list on this form community activities or even church volunteer activities. You may not always use this information on an application, but you are also researching yourself, remember. Go back 10 years or whatever is necessary. For example you want a paid position working for a non-profit tutoring business, but you haven’t tutored for free over 20 years, list that experience anyway. Volunteer experience is more helpful on a resume, and application form that lacks work experience such as a recent graduate, or a work at home mother returning to the workforce

Keep in mind the same rules apply as in work experience. If you are a recent college graduate, don’t list the volunteer activities you had in high school, just in college.

The special skills and equipment as well as courses taken while volunteering go under the appropriate categories under Education Information. It doesn’t matter where, or how you gained these skills.

Job Volunteer Title:

Organization Name:

Organization Address:

Organization’s Volunteer Coordinator Name, Title, and Phone Number:

Beginning, and ending date:

List any Stipends, etc., or was it completely unpaid?

Type of Organization/Industry or Members Served:

Mission Statement, and Description of Charity or Organization:

Job Description:

Job Accomplishments: Example, Consistently exceeded (name quota here), Awarded (name award, or honor):

Networking Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential people to keep in contact with for possible references, or information on job leads in your industry:

...And so on for the previous 10 years, or whatever is appropriate. Happy Job Hunting!

For more job hunting information visit Wagen's Bookstore

Superman's Resume

2011-06-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

I chose the job position of Superman as a basis for my resume example. During these days of few jobs, and large supply of labor, doesn’t your boss expect you to be Superman, or Superwoman? To work more hours per week, and get twice as much done, because you are easily replaceable and grateful just to have a job? I also chose Superman’s resume as a format because this is a fictional resume of course, based on a fictional character and no one’s feelings would get hurt because I didn’t choose their job. Of course, I don’t expect all of you to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism, either. Obviously, later in my column I will use real positions, but the resume below will serve as an example of resume formation. In my later editions of this column I will highlight the different parts of the resume, and I will refer to the resume below in describing how to format a resume, so be sure to bookmark this page.

Superman from Fleisher Studios Comics. http://www.wikipedia.org/

CLARK J. KENT 123 MAIN STREET METROPOLIS, NY 55555
PHONE: (555) 555-5555, CELL PHONE (555) 555-5555
EMAIL: superman@gmail.com

JOB OBJECTIVE

Superman

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Metropolis University, Metropolis, NY 55555.

ASSOCIATION

Justice League of America (1946 to Present)

COURSES

Journalism, Public Relations, Flying, Typing

SKILLS

Flying, Editing, Reporting, Soaring, Super Strength, Writing, X-Ray Vision, Typing

WORK EXPERIENCE

News Reporter
Daily Planet, Metropolis, New York 55555
May 1961 to Present

Report on the vital issues of the day including Criminal Justice issues, world endings, fires, floods, and collapsing buildings.

Communicate effectively with coworkers on news stories.

Awarded employee of the month for the last 12 months of 1961.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for exceptional Journalism.

Cub Reporter/Student Intern
Daily Planet, Metropolis, New York 55555
September 1960 to May 1961

Reported on the non-vital issues of the day or soft news including Society News, Lifestyle, Human Interest stories.

Answered the phone, and took messages for other reporters.

Ordered lunch and coffee for office personnel.

Assisted in office procedures, office appearance, and cleanliness.

Awarded employee of the month from 09-60 to 05-61.

Assisted news reporters in typing, filing, researching, writing, and other office duties.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Superboy/Volunteer Crime Fighter
Justice League of America New York, NY 77777
June 1946 to Present

Leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Stop a speeding locomotive.

Run faster than a speeding bullet.

Save the world from natural disasters, and evil criminals.

Change outfits quickly in a phone booth.

Strong as steel.

Received world wide acclaim for saving the world 50 billion times.

Received the keys to the City of Metropolis from the mayor in 1946.

The Purpose of a Resume

2011-05-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Cut out extraneous items from your resume. Image used by permission from http://www.freeimages.co.uk

This is a first part installment from my resume writing booklet. Watch this feature column for a continuation of the series taken from my self-published book, How to Write a Resume, Cover Letter, and More. For an introduction to this series see my April 2011 posting.

All good writers know their purpose, before putting pen to paper on any piece. All writing is persuasive writing, designed to motivate a change in the reader’s attitude, emotion, or behavior.

The purpose of a resume is to obtain an employment interview, not a job. The purpose of the employment interview is to obtain a job. Employers hire people, not paper. A resume is a calling card.

In the days of old, say Victorian times, when a gentleman, such as yourself, came calling, the butler would open the door, and ask your business. You would put your calling card, your introduction, on a silver plate, and the butler would take this calling card to the master, or mistress of the house, in order to announce your presence. It was up to the butler’s employer whether then, they would receive you on that day, or send you on your way.

A resume serves the same purpose. A resume’s singular purpose is to persuade the hiring authority to interview you. Or in another more modern analogy, it’s like making the first cut on a ball team, or talking that special girl’s parents into passing the phone along to her, when you made that certain call to ask her out for the prom. The employment interviewer is actively looking for negative information in order to weed out the enormous number of applicants. In this economy, this number can run up to the hundreds, or even thousands. Your purpose is to give the interviewer, just enough positive information to make the first cut, without volunteering any negative information.

But just like you don’t want to tell that special girl all about yourself down to showing her your baby pictures on that first date, less is more. Don’t oversell yourself, by overloading the reader’s senses with extraneous data. As in that first date, a sense of mystery is the key. Leave the interviewer wanting to know more about you. Keep it down to one or two 8 ½” x 11” pages. To learn more about you, the interviewer will set up an appointment to talk to you. Don’t answer all the questions, on paper, or you’ll have nothing to talk about in person.

As you can see, a sense of balance in a resume is essential. Like an athlete trying out for a team, you want to hit the ball out of the park, but like a good prom date you don’t want to give too much information to soon as to not scare that special prom date’s parents off. Her parents being the Human Resource Representative that makes the first cut of course.

Necessity, The Mother of Your Dream Job-Job Hunting Book Reviews

2011-05-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

From www.istockphoto.com/jgroup

Out of necessity, the caveman invented the first wheel. Out of necessity, you will invent your own dream job. Necessity is the mother of all invention.

It’s been said that, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Well, it could also be the mother your dream job.

In my introduction to this column I mentioned that the Chinese character for crisis was an amalgamation of opportunity, and danger. I talked about how this personal, and public economic crisis of massive layoffs could drive you into an exciting new career if you can only keep your mind open. That is if you will only look at this unwanted situation as a learning adventure, and a time for personal, and spiritual growth, and not just as a personal crisis, great opportunities may come your way.¹

Well, the crisis caused by your own personal recent lay off could be the impetus of you following your dream. And this statement is not just my own personal opinion anymore either. Even the experts agree.

Think about it. It’s only common sense. If you are earning good money, in what you and everyone around you consider a stable career, societal, and family pressures dictate that you keep it. You wouldn’t just quit your job to follow your dream, would you?

In the October 21, 2009 Arizona Republic article, “Necessity: The Mother of Reinvention” author Rick Hampson reports that when Carline Blake, a recruiter for an IT consulting firm quit her job to follow her dream job of operating her own dog walking business, her friends chided her with “Your leaving a good-paying job to walk dogs?”²

But if you were laid off, no one would blink twice if you announced, “I’m not looking for a new job. I’m going to work for myself. I’m opening up a new business.”

Po Branson in the 2002 New York Bestseller, What Should I Do With My Life? A True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question chronicles the journey of many who changed their careers.

Po Branson noted that in hard times people changed the course of their lives, in good times they only talked about changing their lives.

People that had suffered layoffs he reports were more likely to stumble into a better life than they were by careful planning, perhaps a temporary job taken purely for economic reasons forces people to open up to a whole unknown wonderful world. They discover gifts they never knew they had.

Some of the people interviewed for his career planning book What Should I Do With My Life? found that they had been living their dream job in the wrong locale – and they changed countries. Taking a job doing what they loved to do before only in a foreign country, and loving the sense of adventure of living in a foreign country brought them.

One twin learned that he could be unique, with his own career path separate from his twin. Some interviewees discovered that they were performing jobs that their family expected, but had no clue what they wanted to do for themselves. Some interviewees discerned that they were working in their dream job, but they were in the wrong industry. Others discovered that they had the wrong job all along but in the right industry. Without being laid off none would have had the courage to embark on this journey of self-discovery. For some the resolution of What Shall I Do With My Life? came in a sudden burst, an epiphany of understanding after a long spiritual retreat. Others experienced a long arduous journey of self-discover full of trials, and errors with self realization occurring gradually in a deep quiet manner. But all would have remained stuck, and unsatisfied in their current job, if not for some crisis that propelled them forward.³

In What Color Is Your Parachute? the author of the best selling career planning book of all time, Richard Bolles, describes how he came to the writing world rather late in life after being fired from the priesthood. An Episcopal priest, Richard N. Bolles, had his parish yanked out from underneath him by the Bishop of his diocese. He was forced by economic realities to find a new career, a new calling, a new dream job. He found his higher “calling” through his personal crisis not as a clergyman, but has a writer. The process he went through and the journey he travelled helped him to help you find your dream job, your new calling. By a twist of fate this situation led him to his new career – Author of 8 million career planning books sold.⁴

Another expert, David Kyvig, a Northern Illinois University historian in The Arizona Republic article stated, “When things are going well, we tend to stay with what’s working. When they don’t we explore something new.”

Most of us don’t have the courage of Caroline Blake who quit on her own to pursue her dream. She said, “I still make a fine living. I enjoy my new job. Smartest thing I’ve ever done (to change careers).” “Every day a different dog.”²

The gaping hole in time and income left after a layoff has to be filled. If you are one of the fortunate ones your void will be filled by a process of self-discovery. You will discover your very own dream job!

Have courage. Live your own journey! Discover your dream job!

Endnotes:

1. LS Wagen, “How to Write a Resume, Cover Letter, and More-Introduction," http://lwagen.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-write-resume-cover-letter-and.html

2. Rick Hanpson, Necessity: The Mother of Reinvention, CareerBuilder, The Arizona Republic, October 21, 2008, CL1.

How To Write a Resume, Cover Letter, and More-Introduction

2011-04-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

I graduated from Arizona State University with a BS in Business Administration, majoring in Human Resource Management. I have worked as a technical training writer , in the construction, and facility management industry, and I have written a booklet entitled How to Write A Resume, Cover Letter, and More, which I self-published and copyrighted in 1995, and sold on www.amazon.com. However, don’t try to find it on their website today, as it is now out of print.

My future blog entries will contain excerpts from my booklet, How to Write A Resume, Cover Letter, and More, updated of course to be relevant in the 21st century, and it will contain such topics such as resume writing, sample resumes, job application writing, both on paper, and on-line, cover letter writing, and cover letter samples. These topics will address the viewpoints of the recent high school graduate, the recent college graduate, and the more seasoned professional. It will teach you how to navigate the applicant tracking system (computer scans) employers use to weed out your resume, and how to “weed” yourself back in.

But more important, my advice won’t be delivered from the viewpoint of a best-selling book author guru sitting on a mountaintop in Tibet dispensing free wagon load advice. It’s from someone who was in the trenches, looking for a job like you are who once was finding no full-time employment in this dismal economy. So some may think this makes me unqualified to share this advice because I’ve not followed my own advice. I am not someone pulling down a 6 figure salary. To the contrary, I am qualified because this makes me sympathetic concerning what you are going through. I personally know the strain unemployment puts on family, fun, your ego, and your financial and social life. Also, well I do fully know how serious this problem can be. I can approach it with a little humor, and I hope you can find the humor in your own adventure also. Sharing my personal interview foibles will make you laugh, and I hope put a little less levity into your own situation.

Other topics I would like to cover include how to research a company, how to research salary expectations, how to budget for job hunting, how to research an industry, part-time or stop gap employment, volunteer employment, labor laws, motivation, job hunting web-sites, moving to another city, employment scams, and interviewing skills. And of course since this column is about jobs, and careers, I don’t want to forget the career side. I hope you will check out my previous post which reviewed one of the most popular, and helpful career planning book of both the 20^th and the 21^st century entitled, What Color is Your Parachute?

But of course, in all my future excerpts, if you choose to ignore all my great free advice, feel free. Please, don’t take me too seriously, and feel free to approach everything I say with a grain of salt. Only you know your career expectations, your industry, your local economy, and only you have walked a mile in your shoes. Unlike the guru on the mountaintop, my goal is not to make you feel worse, for not doing such, and such, but hopefully I will reach my goal of making you feel better about this wonderful adventure you are on, and give you some hope, and some advice that will benefit you in the long run.

And it is a wonderful adventure. You may not feel like it now, but I promise you, you will meet great people, make fantastic friends, and learn many things by being unemployed, if you only will look at this unwanted situation as a learning adventure, and a time for personal, and spiritual growth, and not just as a personal crisis. Note my truth-in-advertising, I’m not promising you a job from reading my job hunting blog, or even an exciting new career, that’s up to you, and fate, or if you believe, God. But you never know how this personal and public economic crisis could drive you into an exciting new career if you can only keep your mind open.

I’ve been told that the Chinese symbol or character for crisis is an amalgamation of opportunity, and danger. Just don’t miss your opportunity, by concentrating on the danger of a missed paycheck.

Note the excerpts contained in this blog come from the previously copyrighted material below, and any plagiarism will be prosecuted up to the full extent of the law.

What Color is Your Parachute? A Book Review

2011-04-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard N. Bolles, Ten Speed Press, PO Box 7123, Berkeley, California 94797, © 2005 edition, pp. 400.

What Color is Your Parachute? is all about discovering what your dream job is, and how to obtain your dream job. In fact parachute color is a euphemism for your dream job.

When someone asks if you are employed yet, don’t you say I haven’t landed yet, as in “landed a job.” Jumping out of a plane in a parachute takes a leap of faith just like job hunting does. Your dream job is your color of your parachute whatever that color may be.

What Color is Your Parachute? was written by a former Episcopal priest, who was fired from his parish by his Bishop, and was not offered another parish. He wasn’t fired for any scandalous reason just simply the Bishop felt he wasn’t doing a good enough job.

The former priest then had to find a new career, and he realized that he was good at counseling people how to job hunt, and change careers because he had been through it. Also, as a priest he had a background in counseling and felt that he had found his true calling in writing this series of Parachute books. I guess so; his book has been called one of the definitive career counseling books, and more than 8 million copies have been sold.

He feels that writing these books are his “true calling”, and he wants to help you find your true calling. Callings are usually described as a religious vocation, but the author feels that this does not have to be. Callings can be anything that you were born to do, and his goal is to help you find your “calling” or mission in life in regards to a career.

This doesn’t mean that the book is overtly religious; it’s just that he asks you to consider your faith, whatever that may be Christian, Judaism, Moslem, Hinduism, etc. in making major decisions in your life including your career. I believe that even Atheists or Agnostics wouldn’t be offended by his take on this and the book is carefully and intentionally written by Richard Bolles so that you can substitute fate, higher power, destiny, or whatever in the place of God in this book.

His book is full of active exercises that you can do to accomplish this goal of discovering your true calling or your dream job.

One of these exercises, the most helpful one in the book at least for my own personal past unemployment situation entails imagining yourself at a party. The room is in the shape of a hexagon with six corners. There are six different types of people gathering in each corner. Which every corner you choose gives you an inclination where your dream job lies.

In one corner Realistic people or “R” people as author Richard Bolles calls them are hanging out. These people have athletic or mechanical ability, like professional football players, and mechanics. So imagine your personal mechanic, and your neighbor the electrical engineer is hanging out there talking to Peyton Manning, Quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. If you say who is Peyton Manning, and you think your mechanic is a dodo bird, and your neighbor is a nerd in your eyes this would not be your corner, and you wouldn’t want to join this group.

The next corner is the “I” people, Investigative people who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. So your old college professor is talking to the Chief of Detectives from your home town in this corner. Do you make a beeline for this group after walking through the door?

The third corner is the “A” people. Artistic people have artistic, innovating or intuition abilities, and like to work in unstructured situations, using their imagination or creativity. So the local sculpture who designed the city’s new art exhibit is yapping with your local painter who has been hailed as the next Vincent Van Gogh, and both of them are speaking to the current New York Times best-selling fiction author, John Grisham. Are you salivating to meet them all?

The fourth corner is the “S” people “S” is for Social, of course. These people like to work with people, in informing, enlightening, helping, training, developing, or curing them, and/or are skilled with words. So Steve Harvey and co-author Denene Millner who wrote a book on dating advice for woman titled, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man are talking to your family physician, and the Training and Development Director for your old company in the S corner. Is this the corner you head for first?

The fifth corner of the hexagon is for “E” people. This is where Donald Trump, business tycoon and Drew Barrymore, actress, and producer are drawing a crowd. These people like to work with people, influencing, persuading, or performing. They also lead, and manage organizational goals for artistic, social, or economic gain.

And the last corner is for “C” people. “C” is for conventional, of course. These people like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carrying things out in detail or following through on others instructions. Bill Gates is hanging there with all the computer engineers in town. He is joined by statisticians, file clerks, and data entry personnel. Are you rushing to this corner?

So you can see it’s time for a little truth in advertising. Don’t pretend to run to see Bill Gates because he is rich, but because you love to talk “computers.” And don’t run over there to that C corner because that’s where your Dad or your spouse pulls you to either. This is your dream. You have attended this party alone.

This exercise in imagination really helped me narrow my focus. The author’s exercise is to rank from one to six the order you would mill around between the corners. And the participants aren’t allowed to leave their corner either; Bill Gates isn’t going to wander over to talk to Donald Trump, and Drew Barrymore. So forget that scenario. You are the one wandering.

Are you curious? This is my ranking. I would make a beeline for Artistic first, and then Enterprising, and then Social, and then Investigative, and then Conventional, and Realistic is dead last.

As you all know in real life business tycoon Donald Trump is allowed to go over and visit Bill Gates, computer tycoon and vice versa. We also all know the anomaly where your friend the computer engineer is also a first rate gourmet cook too!

So because of these real life scenarios Richard Bolles advice is to use your top 3 corners in determining your career focus, because as we all know the old saying “Birds of a feather flock together.”

In my case, I am a freelance Business writer who enjoys training people in finding their true calling in the field of work. I also enjoy operating several online Amazon affiliate stores while working as a Customer Service Representative in the automotive industry. (I have always enjoyed automobiles, and working with people. Automobiles as in driving, and admiring historic collectibles, not as a mechanic, or automotive mechanical engineer. There is a difference, you know.) Also, after working in the training field for several years, I would also like to expand my human resource skills, and break into the recruiting field.

Can you see how these endeavors would incorporate artistic (writing), enterprising (business), and social (educate) skills, and interests? Unfortunately, none of these current endeavors are paying all my bills, not yet anyway, so I’m still looking to add something more stable to the equation. I am also taking into account Richard Bolles concept of adding my “favorite” values into the equation. One of my values is… you guessed it money, or as I would like to put it economic stability. I also like to have enough money to well …eat. I guess I’m more of an “R”, Realistic Person, than I previously thought.

So as you can see this book is full of helpful advice in helping you to decipher what your dream job is, and it also gives advice on how to obtaining this dream job once you have discovered what it is. It also discusses what happens when your dream job doesn’t materialize, what do to about it, whether that involves moving to a new location, pursuing an alternative career, finding a “stop gap” job until your dream job comes along, or simply trying a different job hunting strategy.

A “stop gap” job is defined as a job to pay the bills on a temporary basis until your dream job comes along. It would be a job that would drive you stir crazy long term. So for me an “A/E” artistic/business person with a college education that would mean taking a lower level Customer Service position until I can write, publish and sell that Great American Novel, or move up that corporate ladder!

We all have heard of those “E” actors who before making it big as a movie star, waited tables in LA. Following routine directions waiting tables is a C type person, with a little bit of S, as in Social thrown in for good measure, a far cry from the silver screen; however.

Although the author pushes following your dreams, he also claims one needs to be open to changing what you think is your “true calling.” After all, the Richard Bolles the former Rev. Bolles thought that the clergy was his true calling until he was forced to make a change, which goes to prove if you think you are a brain surgeon as your true calling, you still have to have a medical license. Or in the author’s case in order to be a Reverend, you can’t have the Bishop take away all of your parish assignments, because your parishioners don’t like you. Richard Bolles is also as practical, as he is visionary.

Personally, I found his exercises extremely useful, especially if you actually put in the intense work to actually do the exercises in his book, instead of just well…reading them.

Another interesting aspect of his book is that he includes indexes of career counselors in your area, which I think is useful for some people, who can’t decide what “their dream job” is without professional guidance.

The author updates the book every year to keep pace with new trends in job hunting such as the Internet, search engines, etc., but basically his 2009 edition that I found at the library wasn’t much different from the used 2005 edition that was given to me as a gift. The only difference I found between the 2 editions was that he had dropped the career counselors that had gone out of business, and added some new entries into the market. And he also branched out. The author has written different versions of the book for different reading audiences such as a young adult student version, and one for mid-life career changers.

I like that. But take this as a warning this is not a book that teaches you how to write a resume, cover letter, and etc. It does however cover networking, and other job hunting strategies. But you know he never billed this as a resume writing book; he tells his readers that this was not the purpose of the book, and there are other books that cover that topic much better than he can. He bills this book, and the bookstore bills this book as a career planning book, and that is exactly what it is.

I urge every job hunter to read it, and to perform the exercises in the book. If you can’t afford it at least check it out of the library. Just look for the latest edition the library carries. The periodical Today’s Librarian lists this book as one of the seven essential popular Business books in the library.

L Wagen lists What Color Is Your Parachute? as one of the most popular Job & Career books on her bookshelf, and in her new Amazon store, Wagen’s Bookstore.,