2017 and Beyond

2017 was a really interesting year.  Politics and workplace harassment dominated the headlines from start to finish. Natural disaster touched every part of the world causing loss of life and devastating damage to cities and islands.  In the midst of all the chaos, there were several reasons to feel good about the future and approach 2018 with a sense of optimism.  People united to support causes and provide disaster relief in numbers never seen before.  Either women found their voice in 2017 or men started to listen or some combination of the two, and that was great for everyone.  There is plenty to build on for the new year.  Self-care has emerged as a leading method of self-love and appreciation.  People are taking time for themselves; unplugging from the internet/social media, reading books, visiting museums, taking walks, cooking, painting (while drinking wine) and many other activities that are healthy alternatives from our traditional time wasters & hogs.  As you prepare for the new year, try to focus on the things that will make you happy; spending as much time as you can with the people you care about the most and doing the things you love.  Strengthen bonds with the people who matter, even if it means having tough conversations to resolve past differences.  If you are not in a good place financially, there are resources out there to help you, both paid and free, to transition into a better paying job.   Look for a position that pays you what you need to make all of your ends meet without having to shuffle bills or pick up a second job.  Just because you can buy something does not mean you can afford it.  Sit down and evaluate your financial situation, make sure all of your household expenses are covered and then determine how much you can afford to save before you start spending.  Max out your 401K, your older self will be glad you did.  If you need help, talk to someone about your finances who can help you get things in order.  Be encouraged.  Be optimistic.  Pay it forward.  Be positive.  Spread love.

We have a lot in store for you in 2018.  We started in August of this year and presented this monthly newsletter and blog both on our website and Blogger site.  We have content-rich social media space on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+ with daily articles to assist and inform you about any number of employment-related content.  Next year we will introduce our podcast on our YouTube channel so if you are so inclined and would like some helpful and useful information on your timeline so make sure you add us and subscribe to our sites, blogs, and channels.  Use #DEEMPLOYMENTSOLUTIONS (I know it’s a mouthful) to find us all over the internet as well. 

Bring your better self into the year, focusing on the positive.  Try not to consume as much negativity, we were all force fed what seemed like an endless supply of bad/fake news, drama, hostility, and mischief in 2017 but that doesn’t mean we have to accept that today or a couple weeks from today.  You are what you eat and that includes your brain so try not to take in so much of what is wrong with the world and try to increase your diet of positivity.  This will allow you to sustain changes you plan to make past the month of February 😊 giving you a brighter outlook and perspective on life.  Be a shining example for children.  Let them see positive examples everywhere they turn.  Plant the seeds of creativity, independent thought, and kindness in them.  Allow them to fail so they are better equipped to handle it when they get older.  Be a better partner to your significant other, if you have one.  Decide you want to be the best partner you can be and contribute to the relationship fully.  Talk about your problems and try to resolve them without someone being the “winner”.  Listen to understand, not to respond.  Be each other’s peace.  If you still have your parents show them how much you appreciate them every chance you get.  Talk to them at least twice a week.  Cherish them while you still have the opportunity.  If your parents are gone cherish their memory, they are still alive inside of you.  Continue to talk to them.  Write them letters.  Keep your favorite picture of them in your phone.  Do whatever suits you to revel in their spirit.  We are in complete control of our mood, our thoughts, and our feelings.  It is up to us to manage our highs and lows.  We cannot be successful if we are not in the right mind frame to make it happen.

We would like to wish you, your family and friends a safe, pleasant ending to 2017 and a wonderful entrance into 2018! 

Resume Tips

There are several different ideas about what a resume should be, but there are a couple of things that are universal.  The first page is your selling page, and the content of your resume will ultimately get you noticed.  No matter how well formatted and perfectly sculpted, it is your combination of experience, education, and skills that will land you the interview in most cases.  The presentation of those three things can separate you from those with similar/equal qualifications, and that is the reason you should take your resume very seriously.  The tips below should help you manage the process and refresh your resume so that you can put your best foot forward and get that call for an interview.

Purpose

Your resume is the main tool you will use to convince a stranger to talk to you about their open position.  You probably won’t be there when they are reading it for the first time, and you will only get a chance to explain something in your history if there is enough there to make them want to talk to you.  Things you can control: Punctuation/Grammar/Spelling – These are tools in your MS Word and Google Docs, so it’s just a matter of making sure you use them.  Font – Whatever font you settle on should be the same throughout the entire document unless you are using a different font for headers.  Make sure your fonts are aligned if you are copying and pasting information from other documents into your resume.  Nothing says I’m not very serious about myself like misspelled words, a variety of fonts, bullets out of alignment and bad grammar.  Do yourself a favor and have someone you trust to give your resume a good review before you start sending it out.

What Resume Works Best for You?

The three main resume types: Functional, Chronological and Combination.  My preferred resume is Chronological with very specific attention to professional achievement.  What have you accomplished at your job?  How have you made the business better?  What have you achieved?  Listing accomplishments give the reader an idea of what kind of potential asset they are bringing into their organization.  Listing duties do not show who you are and what you have done.  You can distinguish yourself by providing a summary of your duties than a list of 3 to 5 accomplishments per job.  Whatever you choose, make sure it gets you the results you are looking for and if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to change it to one of the other options.

Summary or Objective?

One of the most common questions I’m asked is “which one is “preferred” the professional summary or the objective.”  The truth is all hiring managers are different people, and it is impossible to know who prefers one or the other.  The good news is you have options; you can pick one of the two or go with neither if you so choose.  I prefer the summary; I think it allows you to give the reader a brief explanation of why you are perfect for the position and can make your first-page pop.  You can use about four sentences to highlight all the skills that you have that apply to the position you are applying for, and that can be the difference between you and someone else getting the call for the interview.

How far back should I go? 

In most cases, it should only go back ten years.  There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, you can feel safe with a 10-year window.  If you feel like you have pertinent skills that you would like to showcase on your resume outside of that window you can create an additional skills section on your resume and highlight those skills.

How many pages should it be?

Your resume should be as brief as possible without sacrificing content.  What does that mean?  If you are choosing a chronological resume and you haven’t had many jobs, it may be possible to fit everything on one page but don’t be discouraged if it spills over into two pages.  You should be able to fit ten years of work comfortably with a two-page resume.  The main focus should be page one for the reader (not the HR scanning software), and if they would like to know more about you, they will move on to the subsequent pages.  If they aren’t sold after page one chances are they will stop there.

When should you update it?

You should update your resume whenever you take on a new position after the first six months.  This doesn’t mean editing the document per se, but you can make notes of your work accomplishments similarly to your yearly review so when you are ready to make edits you don’t have to think about what you have accomplished during your time, there should you choose to leave.  A running list of accomplishments will give you a really good idea of where you are as an employee and where you add value to the team and the company as a whole. 

How should you update it?

If your resume is already current this part is easy; you can simply add your newest position at the top and remove the last position from the bottom of your work experience if it falls off the 10-year window.  Just be sure you are using the same font and formatting, and you will be fine.  If it’s not current, you may want to consider a complete overhaul especially if you aren’t happy with the formatting or want to you use a more up to date template.  The internet is filled with templates if you aren’t happy with the offerings of MS Office or Google Docs, find the one that suits you and transfer your content.

Put your best foot forward.  Take your resume very seriously.  Job hunting is challenging, and you are already putting yourself at the bottom of the pile if you don’t put in the time and effort to make your resume the best possible representation of you.  If you don’t want to do it yourself hire someone but know that to succeed it will be a collaborative effort, there is no magic that can happen without your input.