MOVED


I wanted to remind everyone that I've moved!

My newer and fancier blog is at: http://careerandcoffee.wordpress.com

GO THERE to read more posts!



Thanks.

:)

As I was sipping my piping hot, freshly ground Starbucks House Blend, I thought, “ahhhh”. I’m not sure what it is about coffee, but I love it. Caffeinated or not, I love coffee (hence the blog name). The smell, the taste, the culture. I need it, have to have it, would hate to live without it.

I am from a family of huge coffee drinkers. My parents always had a pot of it going. I loved the smell, but hated the taste of it (they drank it black). When I was 19, my boyfriend at the time drank it and, wanting to impress him of course, I started as well. My love affair with coffee continued long after college and long after the boyfriend. What a wonderful courtship it has been. I’ve always been happy to drive out of the way to hit a new coffee shop or try out a ‘flavor of the week’. When a Starbucks moved into my sleepy little farming town, WHOA!. You would have thought they put a mega mall in town the way everyone was talking about it.

Besides the wonderful smell and strongly bitter taste, it DOES have some good health benefits. Did you know that some health experts say that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s Disease? WebMD also goes on to say that it “lowers your risk of diabetes, cavities and colon cancer. It can uplift you and treat headaches. There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable. Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies.

So there’s that.

The reason why I named this blog, “Career and Coffee” is because it seems my career has revolved around coffee. I can always rely on my faithful cup of joe to get me though the next resume, next article, next blog post, and so on. Every job interview I’ve been on, there was a stop to pick up a coffee beforehand. Every workshop I’ve done was with coffee in hand (or somewhere in the room).

Career and Coffee seem to go hand in hand in my life. So, here’s to you coffee!

Career & Birth Order

I came across a few articles lately about how our birth order affects our careers and found the answers most interesting. Especially for the youngest born children. Apparently, according to birth order expert, Frederick Leong, we are fun-loving, artistic, and well, not quite as driven as our elder siblings.

In Science Daily, it states, “A child’s place in the family birth order may play a role in the type of occupations that will interest him or her as an adult. First born and only children may be more interested in cognitive pursuits than younger siblings. Whereas later born children are more interested in artistic or outdoor-related careers.”

Rachel Zupek at CareerBuilder.com said there are a few characteristics similar in each role.

Firstborns are more ambitious, rule-followers and confident, while secondborns (or middle) are the easy-going, diplomatic peacemakers. Firstborns are determined to succeed and tend to follow through with higher education. Middleborns tend to lean toward ‘negotiation’ or ‘helping’ professions like nursing, law enforcement and machine operation.

Youngest are charming and creative and are often found in administrative, journalism, sales or athletics.

As the youngest of three daughters, I wasn’t given much responsibility until I was probably nearing my teens, and by then both sisters were in college. As I got older however, I longed to be the ‘dependable’ one. I strove to work hard and prove my worth by working full time through high school and college. I’ve been working hard ever since, juggling marriage, kids, family, a farm, and my career.

So, does our birth order really have anything to do with our success in life? Are we doomed, as middle children, to make a low income every year (as stated)? Or perpetually goofy and non-serious as the youngest? Will firstborn forever fear ‘losing rank’?

I think our success has everything to do with our own thoughts and how we feel about ourselves. I don’t know if my being the youngest made me strive to be successful, or if that was always just my own inner desire. One thing I know for sure is that if we put any sort of ‘label’ on ourselves, it will hold us back from what we really want to do.

How to Fight the Unemployment Blues

It starts quietly.

You hear rumblings about it from colleagues; it's all anyone can talk about. Company morale is low and people are getting panicky. Suddenly, they let go of 25 people in your department with more layoffs expected. 2 months later, you get your pink slip. You don't have any prospects in sight, everyone you know is laid off, and your resume has been severely neglected.

What do you do now?

For starters, you need to release some emotion and frustration, so plan on going out with your friends and/or family the weekend after you are let go and HAVE FUN. Forget about the job for a day or two and just try to relax. You can't expect a response from anyone if you apply for a job on a weekend, so there is no sense in worrying.

Next, start contacting old friends, colleagues and relatives to let them know you are on the market. Start social networking-- join LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Plaxo and/or all the other social networking sites available, set up your profile and let people know you are job searching.

Go to business lunches, job fairs, trade shows and join any associations in your field. Keep your entire job search organized by using jibberjobber.com (one of my favorite sites for job search management--oh how I wish I had jibberjobber back when I was job searching... I was using folders, little pieces of paper that I would lose, notepads, ugggh). JibberJobber takes care of that for you. Get your resume, cover letter and references in order so you aren't in a panic if you see a job you really, really want.

Doing these things will make you feel productive and will keep the blues at bay. The busier you are, the better you will feel. I notice that clients of mine who are sitting around waiting for the right job have the hardest time. But it's not only keeping busy with job search, but with other things as well. When was the last time you read a book? Painted? Played golf? Planted a garden? "Interim Time" as I call it (time in between jobs), is a great time to start a hobby you've always wanted to do. I read a great article by Brazen Careerist's, Penelope Trunk who put it perfectly, "5 Things to do when you are unemployed. Hint: it's not job hunting". I loved this because it makes sense. Penelope talks about starting a blog, or launching a company, or doing something you've always wanted to do.

Before I got the job at the career center, I had 6 months of job search. Yuck. But I took it as an opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do: cross stitch. There is something about a beautiful work of cross stitch that always moved me. It looked so tedious, but at the same time, challenging. So, I went to the cross stitch store, bought a pattern, thread and canvas, and began my work of art. Talk about time consuming! It became my treat to myself, my reward, after sending out my resume, going on interviews, or making connections that day. It was tedious, hard on the eyes and tiresome, but I loved every minute of it. It also distracted me, which kept me from obsessing on the fact that I didn't have a job.

Make small goals, keep yourself busy and then being unemployed won't be so depressing. Besides, you'll be working before you know it and then you'll wish you were out doing some of the things you could be doing now!

Erin Kennedy

www.proreswriters.com

I've MOVED!

Hello folks!

If you have been looking for me, you can find me at my new home: http://careerandcoffee.wordpress.com

I had been thinking about leaving Blogger for a while, and finally made move this weekend!

Why did I switch to Wordpress.com? They offer more features and I love the layouts. Clean, simple and easy to use.

So, thank you, faithful readers, and please mark my new blog as your new place for all things career, resume writing and job search.

See you there!

Daily Disciplines for Effortless Success

Today's post is from my all-time favorite motivational speaker, Jack Canfield!!

Most of you know I am a huge fan of the Law of Attraction. I have used it in my life for about 2 years (on and off) and have seen my income triple. Seriously.

I was initially drawn to him by the movie/book, "The Secret" and liked what he had to say. I started following his basic LOA (Law of Attraction) principles and was shocked at how quickly improvements were happening everywhere in my life. It's all about our thoughts. I'm telling you people... it works.

Read for yourselves and tell me what you think.

And now I give you: Jack Canfield

Daily Disciplines for Effortless Success
by Jack Canfield

Hand’s down, one of the most popular questions I’m asked by students is this… “Jack, what are your most important daily actions that you correlate with your success.”

In fact, Oprah Winfrey asked me a similar question just days before appearing on her show. She asked me to come up with some easy-to-apply steps for her viewers to start applying The Law of Attraction in their lives.

One of the basic first steps is to determine, write down and talk about what you do want, not what you don’t want. Be as specific as possible. Once you have clarified what you want, do the following each and every day.

1. Morning Intention, Visualization and Releasing

As soon as you wake up in the morning, take about 5 minutes to focus your mind on your desires, goals and intentions. Start by sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and visualizing your desires and goals as already being fulfilled. Spend 30 seconds to a minute on each of your core desires and goals. You can also take a few moments to visualize your day going exactly as you would like it to.

When you do this, you will often find negative limiting beliefs that are the result of negative programming from your childhood will come up. You may hear thoughts like “I could never afford that,”“there’s no way I’ll ever get that,” or “who am I kidding?” coming up. If you do, use one of the many releasing techniques that are available (see the list below) to release the negative thought. Don’t fight or argue with the thought; just release it.

Remember to also spend several moments feeling the feelings you would feel if you had already manifested your desire in your life. The intensity of the feeling is what fuels the intensity of the attraction.

If you're interested in learning a powerful releasing technique, check out the new documentary movie about the emotional freedom technique (EFT) I use, Try it On Everything; I highly recommend it.

2. Use External Images to Keep you Focused on Your Desires and Goals

Keep yourself focused on what you want to manifest by surrounding yourself with visual images of the things and experiences you want to create in your life. There are many tools you can use for this, including creating a Vision Book from our Dream Big Collection

Cut out pictures of the things you wish to own (like your ideal car or home) and pictures that represent the experiences you want to have (like the perfect relationship, your ideal job, perfect health, being at your ideal weight, more joy, inner peace or balance in your life) to remind yourself of how you want it to be. Put them somewhere where you will see them every day—on the mirror, the refrigerator, or in your Vision Book.

For even greater impact, combine your pictures with words that reflect your desired outcome, such as abundance, romance, fun, vitality, etc. I think you get the picture.
When you look at any of these pictures, do what Bob Doyle, who is featured in The Secret teaches— think the thought, “THIS IS MINE NOW! THIS IS WHO I AM!”

3. Think a Better Feeling Thought

Start paying attention to the many times during the day that you have emotional responses (to other people, experiences, or your own thoughts) that are not in alignment with having or producing your desires. Pay special attention to when you feel disappointment, resentment, frustration or anger about your experiences and circumstances.

Remember, it’s your feelings (which are created by your thoughts, opinions, and beliefs) that are creating your current circumstances. You must make a shift by changing your thoughts to ones that make you feel better (i.e., raise your vibration). Remember that you must become a vibrational match for the things and experiences that you want to attract into your life.

It is especially important to focus your thoughts and behaviors on things that cause you to feel joy. Focus your thoughts on thoughts that bring you joy (your lover, your best friend, your grandchildren, your favorite vacation spot) and your actions on doing the things you love to do (pet your cat, work in your garden, listen to your favorite music).

4. Have an Attitude of Gratitude

It is critical to take time each and every day to focus on what you are grateful for! Some people do this in the morning before or after they visualize their desires; others prefer to do it in the evening. Focus on all of the things in your life (most of which you take for granted) that you are grateful for—your health, your children, your job, the nice weather, electricity, running water, a nice stereo system, your flower garden, your pets, your friends).

No matter what your situation, there are always things to be grateful for. The more you focus on what you are grateful for, the more things and experiences you will attract to be grateful for. You may wish to carry a “gratitude rock” like the one Lee Brower talks about in “The Secret”, or log your findings in a Gratitude Journal.

5. Take Action

There are two kinds of actions you can take. Obvious actions are things like, if you want a better car, going to test drive all of the models you are interested in and choosing the exact car you want to have, and saving 10% of your income in a “car account.” If you want to be a doctor, apply to medical school.

There is also what I call “inspired actions.” Once you begin to do the things described above, the universe will start responding by sending people, resources and opportunities you need to manifest your desired result. You are going to find that you have inspired ideas; you must act on them. You must follow those gentle proddings from the universe. Often these intuitive impulses will have no seeming connection to achieving your goal, but if you follow them, they will lead you down a path of wonderful fulfillment.

Here’s a quick way to know if the actions you’re taking are taking you closer to the fulfillment of your dreams and desires.

If you are feeling joy while you are doing them, then you are on the right path. Remember, joy is your internal guidance system, just like the GPS system in a car, telling you are taking the right actions. Follow your joy.

6. Acknowledge That it's Working

If you start to see something change for the better, acknowledge that it is happening. Appreciate it. When you find the perfect parking space, acknowledge it. When you get the table you want in the restaurant, acknowledge it. When you receive unexpected income, acknowledge it. When you meet someone who can help you achieve your goal, acknowledge that Law of Attraction is working. The more you acknowledge that it’s working, the more it will work. It’s that simple.

If you are attracting things into your life that you don’t want, remember that the Law of Attraction is still working. Instead of thinking or saying, “It’s not working,” ask your self, “What am I focusing on, thinking about, talking about, feeling or doing that is bringing this into my life?”

If you want to know what you are thinking about, notice the results you are producing in your life. To change those results, you will first have to change your vibration by changing your thoughts and feelings.

When you make a commitment to take these actions each day, you’ll start to move forward, with confidence, in the direction of your dreams. Believe that they are not only possible, but that they are already in progress.

I'll be back in two weeks with another edition of Success Strategies. Until then, see if you can discover ways to immediately implement what you discovered from today's message into your life.

***

Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

The Use of COLOR on Resumes... dare we?

Folks, a new day has dawned.

I never thought I'd say it or believe it, but color is here. Hopefully to stay.

Way back when I started my resume writing career (10 years ago), color wasn't used. I was trained by an executive resume writing firm almost 6 years ago, and at that time color wasn't even something we would say out loud! It was only on resumes that most certainly WOULD NOT land the job.

But times have changed, finally, and color can come out of hiding and proudly show itself.

Now, when I talk about this, you don't want to have every header and subheaders different colors. What I mean is, color in small doses is good. Perhaps a deep red or navy blue for bullets or subheading titles.

An example can be like this:

JOHN SMITH.............Business Development Executive

or in a branding statement like this:

John Smith
Provide Leadership through Innovative Marketing Styles and Strategic Business Sense
(see just a hint of Navy Blue?)

I will also use it to emphasize a value-added bulleted list. I never overdo it and use it sparingly. Too much of a good thing can be just that-- too much.

So, good people of the job seeking world, REJOICE, and add a touch of color to your resume.



Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW
www.proreswriters.com

What to Do if you Don't Know what you Want to Do

I was talking to my sister recently about her son who is a freshman in college. Now he not so sure he wants to keep his major in Mechanical Engineering, even though it has been his dream for years to design and work on cars. I think college kids have it tough because it is a hard decision to make at 17, "What do you want to do for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?" I didn't even realize what I wanted to do until I was about 26, so I feel for the younger kids who are pressured early on to 'pick a major'.

So, it got me to thinking about our choices when we are adults. What happens if we change our mind? What if I don't want to write resumes anymore, but I'm not really sure what I want to do? What would my next step be? Here are a few simple ideas to help you get started:

1) Well, for starters, if you really have no idea WHAT you want to do, I would suggest enlisting the help of a Certified Career Coach. A career coach is trained in helping people figure these things out! The will gather your likes/dislikes from you, coach you on possible positions, and work you through the pros and cons.

2) Take an assessment. The internet is loaded with lots of free sites where you can take behavioral, career, and personality assessments. I just recently took one and was surprised by what it said. It was so true, but the info it contained hadn't really occurred to me. An assessment will highlight your strengths and weaknesses, and also may offer insight into which jobs might be a match for you. They are quick and easy to take. Fun, too!

3) Do what you love! There is a saying that goes, "Do what you love and the universe will support you", or in other words, do what you love and success will follow. I did not love sales and I was not good at it, therefore success didn't follow me (not one bit). However, I always loved writing, always loved helping adults with career transition/job search, and discovered I had a knack for resume writing. Presto! I love it and I make a nice living by doing it. What is your hobby? Can you make money from it? Give it a whirl. You never know.

4) Research Occupations. Do your homework and look up jobs that have always sounded interesting to you. I always felt that another calling of mine would be event planning. I know my organized, anal retentive, attention-to-detail side would be perfect for it, and who knows? It could be a back up job. I did my research on the different characteristics and strengths needed for the job and found a match. Look up occupations that interest you online, read the details and see if you match up.


Figuring out what you want to do is no easy task for most of us, so go within yourself and find out what you would truly enjoy. Look it up online and see if there is a calling for it anywhere. This is the fun part. The world is full of possibilities, so go grab yourself some!




Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW

http://www.proreswriters.com

How to Network if You are on the Shy side

I am the first to admit that networking with a bunch of strangers is not easy when you are shy. Early in my career, I was in sales (seriously) and would literally have to force myself to cold call. It was daily torture. I finally admitted to myself that maybe I was in the wrong field, and no, it was not hereditary (many family members were in sales). I was never that suave, chatty, BS'er-type that seemed to dominate my lineage.

Networking when you are shy is worse than a root canal.

I understand this first hand. So, when you would rather scrub your toilet then walk into a company that has never heard of you, here are a few different things you can do to help you cope with and overcome this predicament.

1) Join LinkedIn. The fabulous benefit of LinkedIn is that you can literally cold call without ever having to be face-to-face with a living being. Simply look up a company in the directory and send your resume to whoever is in charge. How easy was that?? Now, what I would really advise would be to find someone in your network, or one of your connection's network, and ask them for the name of someone first. Then send that person an email and begin a dialogue. I can go on and on about LinkedIn. Most of you know I am obsessed with it. If you would like to know more, send me an email go here.

2) Join a Local Business Organization. The beauty of a joining a local organization (either business or volunteer) is two-fold. Or maybe tri-fold. Is that a word? Yes, but for a closet door. Anyway, I will make it work in this situation.

A- You can go and sit at a table and have a nice breakfast/lunch/dinner where minimal attention will be paid to you (unless you stand up and introduce yourself, and c'mon you can do that) and still get to know the organization, feel productive, and get excited because you got out of your comfort zone.
B- Once you are in that comfy place, you will start talking with people and slowly begin making new contacts/acquaintances/friends that you wouldn't have made sitting at home in front of your computer posting your resume on the useless Monster.com.
C- Now that you are talking with people, you can tell them what you do for a living, find out what they do and see if you connect anywhere.

On a personal note: I joined my local Optimists organization when I got out of college and worked for the career center as a Career Counselor. Within a year of initiation, they recruited me to be President of our Chapter, which encompassed two cities. Talk about being nervous... (but that was with public speaking, and I had to get over it quick... that is a whole different story).
Let me tell you though, the contacts I made during that time were with professionals I still talk with to this day.

3) Tell everyone you know that you are job searching. Even if you are embarrassed about it or don't want anyone to know that either you lost your job or your job is in jeopardy, or whatever the case may be, tell them. People like to help and you really never know who may know someone that you need to know. The stories my clients tell me about who helped them get their jobs are always priceless. Your dry cleaner? Your mail person? Your colleague? Yes, I've heard of all these great stories and more.

Networking is the #1 way to get a job, so even if it hurts a little, get out there and tell them who you are.

Erin
http://www.proreswriters.com

40 Diverse Companies

These companies are listed as the nations most diverse, being on the forefront of employing women and minorities, celebrating diversity, and creating positive work environments.

It's about time, I say!

To view the full list, go here.

FED EX offers FREE RESUME PRINTING



Need your resume printed out?

On Tuesday, March 10
Federal Express is offering FREE Resume Printing at any one of their 1,600 offices nationwide.

Take advantage of this generous offer and save yourself some $$

The Importance of Learning

"The more you learn, the more you earn" -- Brian Tracy

I heard that quote recently and thought, 'wow, how true'. I mean, we all know that, right? If you don't have your high school diploma, you'll earn more if you get it. Then you earn more when you get your Bachelors, then your Masters, and so on.

I was thinking of my hoards of clients who continually improve themselves by taking a training course or getting an advanced degree. Any type of Professional Development is only going to improve your earning curve, whether it be in your current job or the next one. And really, in some jobs training is as important or more so than an advanced degree.

I've just begun some training on certain aspects of resume writing and I'll tell you, I am SO EXCITED about it! I'll be able to offer clients something different and it will improve my skills even more. Will I raise my prices due to this training? Well, that will depend on the resume. This is for special types of resumes, so perhaps for those, I will. And I should. It will be an enormous value for clients and will improve their chances of landing dream jobs even faster.

Have you had any training lately? Have you updated your resume with that? If not, do it now. It adds to your income earning potential and makes you more employable.

Whenever you get the chance, take that free training offered at your company. It adds tremendous value to you.

Until next time...

YOUR BRAND

Do you have a brand? Do you solicit it? Do you use it to promote your goods/services? Or are you not really sure what your brand is at all? Don't worry, if the latter is your answer, you are not alone.

Creating a brand for yourself is a fantastic way to ensure you always leave a lasting impression to whomever you are communicating with. It points out very quickly what you specialize in, what your niche is, and what you are "known" for.

Take "Campbell's" brand soup for example. "Mmm Mmm Good!" Does it bring back childhood warm and fuzzies? Daydreaming of tomato soup and grill cheese sandwiches? Well, then. The marketing team's job is done. You know the brand, can hear the jingle, and it elicits an emotional response from you.

Don't worry that your brand has to elicit an emotional response from your reader, but consider having a tagline in your resume that will help you stand out and keep you fresh in the reader's mind. For example, if you are a Senior Executive of an IT company and want to keep your focus on what you know best-- Business Development-- than THAT could be your brand and what you could add to your tagline. Something like: John Smith::: Business Development & Channel Management Executive, IT INDUSTRY... that could be a possible tagline to showcase your brand.

Think about what you are known for at work, what you excel at, what people depend on you for and make that your brand.

TOP 10 "GREEN" JOBS

A big shout of 'THANKS' to Laura DeCarlo of Career Directors International (www.careerdirectors.com) for posting this link from GreenCollarHiring.com.

The Top 10 Green Jobs

SOAK UP THE SUN

As I was loudly singing in my car to the Sheryl Crow song, "Soak up the Sun"-- much to the dismay of my 5 1/2 year old who was rolling his eyes in the back seat (what is THAT all about??), I was thinking what a beautiful, sunny day it was here today in Michigan. Everyone seemed happier, nicer. I've read that there is a direct link between lack of sun and depression. A disorder that affects more than 35 million Americans is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This can affect moods, eating and sleeping patterns, and no doubt, job search enthusiasm.

I know that I am much more productive on sunny days. And on the days when the clouds cover up the sun, I blast on every light I can find in my office to keep myself productive. Otherwise, I tend to feel... sleepy.

If you are feeling the effects of too little sun and too much winter, you might want to turn on a few more lights in your house or office, and listen to Sheryl Crow. I guarantee you will feel more productive and will get the zip back in your job search.

What do you do when suffering from too little sun? Talk to me...

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT HIRE A
RESUME WRITING SERVICE

If you live in Michigan, or anywhere else in our country, let's face it. The economy stinks. People are getting laid off and companies are closing down or outsourcing to other countries practically on a daily basis. So, what good would hiring a professional resume service do for you? EVERYTHING.

It's understandable to be cautious about hiring a resume writer, especially online where you can't visually shake a hand or see an office full of certificates, awards, books, or anything else that might prove credibility. Here are a few reasons you SHOULD hire a professional resume writer:

1- PROFESSIONALISM - A professional resume writer knows what he/she is doing. I've had clients tell me over and over that having it professionally written got them the job. They had sent in the old one previously, and at my urging, resent the new one and got the job!
Make sure whomever you hire is CERTIFIED. If you are unsure whether or not your writer is certified, go to www.parw.com and type in their name. If they are certified, it will come up as such. A certified writer has gone through extensive training and was tested on it, ensuring their work meets the standards of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. If you are going to spend the money, you want the best.

2- BRANDING/PR - A professional resume writer acts as your personal cheerleader, your brander, your public relations firm. You want someone who knows how to present your qualifications in your best light. They will gather the relevant information (career goals, experience, training, etc.) to create a professional image for you. Something you will be proud to hand out to a hiring manager.

3-GHOSTWRITERS- A professional resume writer knows how to craft content that gets people interested. They create a resume that sounds and feels like YOU. A professional resume writer constantly updates their skills and abilities by keeping up with the latest in career news, and attending webinars, teleseminars and conferences.

4- FORMAT - How bored are you when you see a resume that is bullet after bullet of a position description? Would you call that person back? Neither will the hiring person. Professional resume writers are TRAINED in creating unique documents with appealing fonts, borders and styling that is all YOU.

5- RESOURCE CENTER - Your professional resume writer is a career one-stop-shop! Chances are they have a wide range of resources to offer during your job search. Many are also Certified Career Coaches and remain well informed of career events and other services helpful to their clients. Many times employers will contact resume writers for suitable candidates.


Reasons NOT TO HIRE a professional resume writer:

1- They offer you a resume package for $19.95. Most likely this company is a printing or secretarial service that will rewrite everything you gave them, or dump your info into a pre-written template.

2- They tell you they are certified, but you check on the PARW site and they are not. WRONG. Turn around and go back. They are misrepresenting the truth and God knows what they will do with your money.

3- They offer a 30-day guarantee if you don't get an interview. I know this is a touchy one, because many of my colleagues do it, but here is my beef with that: with each client, I put my heart and soul into the resume. I am already writing a resume that I think will knock the socks off any reader. So how can I possibly offer a rewrite on that? I already wrote a killer resume and I stand behind it. I would rather sit down with the client and go over job search because I guarantee that is where the problems lie.

So, to sum it up, it's important to find a solid and reputable resume service. Check for memberships to professional career organizations with writers that are certified.

A professionally written resume is a good investment and is worth it's weight in gold, not to mention it will get you noticed immediately.

Have you hired a resume writing service? What was your experience? I'm interested to know what you thought. Talk to me...

MY 10 YEAR Rez-I-Versary!

I woke up this morning and thought, hmmm, what's different? Then out of nowhere came a flash of memory-- 10 years ago this month (Jan. 12 to be exact, but forgot about it on the date), I started at the Career Center and everything in my career life changed.

Up until then, I had been in college and worked as a manicurist at a salon (and at home). It was great money and put me through school... well that, and many, many, thousands in student loans. Not saying college wasn't worth the money, because it was. That is where I discovered my interest in careers, job search, and resumes. It's just a lot of money, as many of you know. But I digress.

So, January of 1999 is when I started writing resumes. I admit, when I first started I was not great at it. It was a good thing that I was working for a non-profit center and no one had to pay for my services. I helped people, or "walk-ins", who had just been laid off from their jobs and had to come in and put their resume on the "talent bank" in order to get compensation from the State. Most didn't have resumes, so we started from scratch. I was great at putting everything in order chronologically, but not great at career summaries--still in the mindset of "objectives". Ewww. I would then go very heavy on bullet points. Bullet after bullet of whatever they did, not just accomplishments. Not great, but learning. This process grabbed my interest, so I started rifling through our many resume books we had at the Center. I was "wow'ed" by so many of the resumes that I saw that I just devoured the books, joined the PARW/CC (Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches) and was off and running, honing my skills and practicing like crazy.

One day a fellow came in and showed me his resume. He said, "I just paid $250.00 for this and the one YOU did for my friend for FREE was so much better!". Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I could GET PAID FOR THIS? OHMYGOSHHHHH! Those weren't my exact words, but you get the drift. I set up a website (in 2001), quit my job at the career center, put out my shingle, and here I am today. I've earned my certifications, gotten my work published in best-selling career books, been nominated for several awards, and have written thousands of resumes since then.

So, that's my story. Happy Rez-I-Versary to me! Hmmm. How shall I celebrate? Maybe I'll start by finishing up this CV for a Professor that I have been working on, and then get started on the VP of Business Development resume that is next on my list... and so on.

Still learning, still loving my job, and still helping job seekers land the jobs that they want.

I've always felt like I sort of "fell into" writing resumes. Many of us fall into our jobs, or they fall into us. Do you have any upcoming Job-I-Versary stories you'd like to share? Did you fall into your job? I'd love to know. Talk to me...

THE LADDERS...

Lately, I have become more and more disillusioned with "The Ladders", the source for $100,000+ jobs and $100,000+ candidates.

It all started with the critiques. I had been getting clients that were coming to me saying they had gone to The Ladders who had written a scathing review of their current resumes, but would happily remedy that for a mere $1,000 (some were more, some were less). So, for the cost of an average mortgage payment they would turn it around AND THEN find you a job for $100,000 and up. The thing was, I was having clients say, " I don't like this resume at all--can you fix it?". I had one fellow who paid upwards of $900.00 for his resume that looked like something my 5-year old would write.

But, it didn't start out that way. Back when it first came onto the internet scene, The Ladders really was busting out some nice resumes. They had qualified, certified resume writers. People were happy and everyone was talking about it. I was one of the first to jump on The Ladders bandwagon, telling my clients what a great site it was. Then we see commercials about it. Wow. It's big time, now.

Then, things started to change. It was first pointed out to me through my professional association (PARW/CC) about the negative critiquing and not-so-good resumes coming out of that place. I was very optimistic though... not me, I still love it. Still believing in the dream. After all, the majority of my clients are senior-level execs, so I was thrilled to be able to have something promising to tell them. "Just go to The Ladders... they have $100,000+ jobs there".

Soon I started hearing about false advertising, jobs that were way under $100K, barely starting at $30,000, sometimes The Ladders did not even know the pay range of the jobs they offer.

I don't mean to bash another company in the careers industry, but I am leary about The Ladders now-- and am hoping the founder, Mark Cenedella, will dump some of the writers he scrounged up, get some honest-to-goodness $100,000 jobs back in there, and restore it to it's former glory.

What have your experiences with The Ladders been? Talk to me...

CHANGE

Today the United States of America made history. We elected the first black President.

In the 1860's, President Lincoln said it would take 100 years to undo the crimes of slavery and he was right. In the 1960's Martin Luther King took our country down a new path, a path of change-- promoting, no, demanding equal rights for all races. And now, today, 40+ years later, here we are. Our great country proved we could change and we could savor the taste of hope again. Despite our splits, despite our different views, today we made history. I am so very proud to say I live in the U.S. Especially now. Change is a good thing. Sometimes it is painful or uncomfortable, but it also helps us to grow.

What changes have you made in your life lately? Have you left your comfort zone, even a little? For me, it is this blog. It is painful to me to be anything but immensely private about my life, but I have realized that it is in sharing that you build relationships. I have always been very, very private, so believe me when I say that even blogging about this is pretty uncomfortable. This is one of my "Small Attainable Goals" for 2009-- to get out of my comfort zone and open up a bit. I know I can grow from it. I know it will create deeper relationships with friends and clients.

Another thing I did, which is equally as big of a deal to me, is I cut my hair. OK, guys you may be groaning here, but for women, IT'S A BIG DEAL. I cut 8 inches off my hair. I've always had long hair, but this year felt different. Something was in the air and I kept hearing, "A New Year, A New YOU" in my head. So I did it. It was pretty scary, seeing 38 years of my life floating down, gently drifting toward the floor, but it was also a feeling of, "Ahhhh!". Now, here is the new me... sassy and stylish. The best part is, I feel really good about it. I walk past a mirror, expecting to see my staticky hair down past the middle of my back, but WHOA! who is that fun-looking person? Oh yea, that's me!

Think about something you would like to change. It could be as big as quitting smoking or as small as taking a new route to work. Change is good. It helps you grow and learn new things about yourself, "Hey, who knew I would get up my nerve to stand up in front of 22 students and teach a night course in Economics?" Great things can happen when you change. You will meet new people, experience new things, and take a different path perhaps leading you to something new and exciting.

What change would you like to make? I would love to know-- and to know how you feel now that you DID IT (or at least made up your mind to do it). Talk to me...

"Cover Letters for Dummies" is here

The 3rd edition of this recognized brand, "Cover Letters for Dummies" is finally here. 10 years after the 2nd edition!

I just got my copy of it in the mail from the publishers and yours truly is on page, um... let's see, OK, here we go... Page 194!

It is a wonderful compilation of cover letters for every scenario including: job ad reply letters, networking letters, broadcasting & prospecting letters, resume letters, and thank you and follow up letters.

Grab a copy of yours at any bookstore today. Very valuable to have on hand, ready for any situation you are applying for.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AND OTHER B.S.

Alright. I'm just going to admit it and put it out there. I hate New Years Resolutions. Just those 3 words make me feel like a failure... I know that I'm going to say I will do something and then after 2 days of effort, quit doing it and be mad at myself. Like dieting, or blogging, or not swearing (my vice). I just know I am going to fail.

This year, I've decided to try a different tactic. This year I will set up some SMALL ATTAINABLE GOALS. Now, those are 3 little words I can deal with. Small attainable goals implies that I can really do it. I can meet small goals. Little groupings of goals. Like, instead of "I want to lose 20 pounds by January 31", I will say, "I will lose a pound or two a week until I like how my jeans are fitting". Doesn't that feel better? I like it. I can handle a pound or two a week. I can blog a couple of times a week, versus my "resolution" of every day. That is too much and frankly, feels unattainable deep down. So, I know this now and will take a different route.

People put way too much pressure on themselves this time of year. "I will job search every day and find the perfect job by Jan. 15". That is a lot of pressure especially if already in a job, and really don't have the time to search that much. Maybe you could say, "I will do my best to put the word out every few days that I am looking for a new job. I will remember to tell my barber, the people at the coffee shop, the guy in the elevator, and will update my LinkedIn profile and make a huge effort on that site" etc. Don't you feel better already? In my experience, small attainable goals are the ones I really have achieved. So, sit down and make a "SMALL ATTAINABLE GOALS" list and be happy with yourself.

Job Fair News for 2009!

Get ready to get hired because National Career Fairs and Monster.com have joined forces to put together over 350 job fairs in 77 cities. Now is the time to dust off your nicest outfit and update your resume. Head on over to the nearest job fair and talk with an employer who is looking for YOU! Don’t let another job pass you by. Click here, or copy and paste the link into your browser:

http://www.nationalcareerfairs.com/