In the last post we talked about a basic chronological resume for your job search toolkit. Today, we'll talk about the other resume formats - functional and combination (sometimes referred to as chrono-functional). If you choose to design a functional or combination resume, their formats are fairly similar. Instead of listing your work experiences in reverse chronological order, like you would for a chronological resume, you identify 3 to 5 broad skill areas which you have used and would like to focus on in your next position.
Of course, you would still begin with appropriate contact information about you, no matter which format you choose. Your resume could still have a Summary or Professional Profile section that could be written as a sort of paragraph or just a bulleted list. The idea for the summary is to give the reader a few highlights from your background that will entice her/him to read further. This should also include action words that are directly related to the kind of work you hope to do next.
For your work experience, you would create 3 to 5 headings that represent your experiences (your functional skills), whether paid or volunteer. So a person in business might use headings of Marketing and Communications, Inventory Control, and Management and Supervision, for example. Then under each of those headings you would have brief statements that represent experiences you have using that skill. The statements could be work from a combination of job titles and/or companies or from volunteer or other professional activities. So the skills and experiences that you want to showcase that are related to marketing and communications, for example, would be listed under that category.
The primary difference between a functional and a combination resume is the amount of information provided for each of your employers. In a truly functional resume, you would simply list the name of each employer, dates of employment, location of the job, and your job title. In a combination resume, in addition to that information, you would also provide a brief statement (or statements about your responsibilities in each job. In either format, if the name of the employer may not easily be recognized, it is a good idea to include a brief statement regarding the nature of the company - it's primary focus.
You will need an education section no matter which format you choose. If you have volunteer experiences, you may wish to include a section to list those organizations or companies, as well. Additionally, you may wish to include a section on professional activities or organizations in which you are actively involved.
It is generally believed that a combination or functional resume provides more flexibility, and perhaps visibility, particularly for individuals who are making a career change and not staying in the same field in which they are currently or were most recently working. These formats are also preferred by many individuals who have a gap in their work history. On the whole, I believe most employers still prefer the chronological resume format, but if your background would be represented by one of the other formats, you may wish to try that and see what responses you get. Because, no matter which resume format you choose, if it does not result in positive responses, you want to make some adjustments to it and try again. In the next post we will discuss other items for your job search toolkit.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice, providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, preparing for retirement, returning to work or to school, coping with a loss of job. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone assisting them to find solutions to their life transition issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Create Your Job Search Toolkit
In today's job market, the job seeker must be prepared to use multiple approaches to landing a new position. It is no longer sufficient to create a standard resume, peruse the want ads in the local paper and send your resume in response to an ad. These days a search is much more demanding and, in most cases, more difficult for the job seeker.
Don't get me wrong, I believe you should still look through the local paper for want ads. One thing you will find, if you haven't looked at that section lately, is that, in general, there are not as many ads as you may be used to seeing. Additionally, many of the ads are looking for general workers or job seekers with very specialized abilities. Because most jobs that are filled are never advertised anywhere, it is important not to spend a disproportionate amount of time on a method that is not likely to produce many results.
Your job search toolkit should include a number of things, but today we are going to start with a resume. Although most people suggest you revise your resume, even if only slightly, for each position for which you apply, you need to come up with your basic resume template. These days there are still three basic formats for resumes: chronological, functional, and combination. The chronological is still the preferred format for many employers, and that is the design that requires you to list your positions in reverse chronological order.
No matter what format you choose for your resume, it would generally begin with your name and your contact information. You name should be typed so that it stands out from the rest of the information. Depending on how you will deliver the resume, you may choose not to include your home address on it, but you should include your cell and/or home phone number, and your email address. Again, be sure that the outgoing message on your phones is a professional sounding one and that anyone who might answer the number given can take a message and handle the call in a professional manner. If you list two phone numbers, you should indicate which is which. Also, be sure that the email address is one that is basic or professional sounding.
In a chronological resume format, whatever position or title you hold now, or your most recent position, would be listed at the beginning of your experience section. Before you jump into listing your experiences, I would suggest that you insert a summary of sorts for the section after your contact information. Your summary may be just a listing of areas of expertise, technical skills, or could be some significant highlights from your work history. It should not be too long, but provide sufficient information to get the attention of someone reading it.
Generally your experience section would come next. The exception may be for individuals who are just graduating - in that case, you may wish to list your education next. That is particularly helpful for those who do not have work experience related to the position they are seeking. Your current or most recent position should contain statements about the skills you demonstrated and tasks for which you were responsible. To the extent possible, all your statements in your experience section should begin with an action verb. Any figures that you can include which help to document your accomplishments is a good idea. You may use sentences or just bulleted statements for your experiences. Each position should include the title you held, the name of your employer, and dates of employment. In some cases, you may wish to include the city where you worked and/or a brief statement about the nature of the employer you worked for/the industry it is in.
You would repeat this same process for every position you have held - going back about 15 to 18 years. You would only consider including a position from further back than that if it is directly related to the position you are currently seeking. Generally 15 or so years of work history is sufficient.
Education is often the next section on a chronological resume. You generally list your most recent education first. The exception might be if you have completed some type of certificate program more recently than you received your degree. Unless the certificate is directly related to the work you are now seeking, you may need to list it after your degree. For each degree you have completed, list the name of the degree, your major area of study, the name of the institution, and generally the date you received the degree. (If you graduated long ago, you may wish to leave that date off.) If you were recognized for your grades/honors, you generally want to include that as well. If you provide your grade point average (gpa), you should include the scale on which it is based; so if you have a 3.8 on a 4.0 scale, you would indicate both numbers. You would also include that same basic information on the previous degrees/programs completed. The exception is that you do not need to include high school, unless you do not have a college education.
You may wish to include a section on professional activities or organizations to which you belong and/or a section for your volunteer activities. These can be particularly beneficial if they are related to the kind of work you hope to do or the kind of industry in which you hope to do that work. It is not appropriate to include information about your personal status and you no longer need to include the statement, "References available upon request." We will talk about the other resume formats in the next post.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement, coping with an empty nest, or planning to return to work or to school. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist in developing plans to cope with the individual's transition. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Don't get me wrong, I believe you should still look through the local paper for want ads. One thing you will find, if you haven't looked at that section lately, is that, in general, there are not as many ads as you may be used to seeing. Additionally, many of the ads are looking for general workers or job seekers with very specialized abilities. Because most jobs that are filled are never advertised anywhere, it is important not to spend a disproportionate amount of time on a method that is not likely to produce many results.
Your job search toolkit should include a number of things, but today we are going to start with a resume. Although most people suggest you revise your resume, even if only slightly, for each position for which you apply, you need to come up with your basic resume template. These days there are still three basic formats for resumes: chronological, functional, and combination. The chronological is still the preferred format for many employers, and that is the design that requires you to list your positions in reverse chronological order.
No matter what format you choose for your resume, it would generally begin with your name and your contact information. You name should be typed so that it stands out from the rest of the information. Depending on how you will deliver the resume, you may choose not to include your home address on it, but you should include your cell and/or home phone number, and your email address. Again, be sure that the outgoing message on your phones is a professional sounding one and that anyone who might answer the number given can take a message and handle the call in a professional manner. If you list two phone numbers, you should indicate which is which. Also, be sure that the email address is one that is basic or professional sounding.
In a chronological resume format, whatever position or title you hold now, or your most recent position, would be listed at the beginning of your experience section. Before you jump into listing your experiences, I would suggest that you insert a summary of sorts for the section after your contact information. Your summary may be just a listing of areas of expertise, technical skills, or could be some significant highlights from your work history. It should not be too long, but provide sufficient information to get the attention of someone reading it.
Generally your experience section would come next. The exception may be for individuals who are just graduating - in that case, you may wish to list your education next. That is particularly helpful for those who do not have work experience related to the position they are seeking. Your current or most recent position should contain statements about the skills you demonstrated and tasks for which you were responsible. To the extent possible, all your statements in your experience section should begin with an action verb. Any figures that you can include which help to document your accomplishments is a good idea. You may use sentences or just bulleted statements for your experiences. Each position should include the title you held, the name of your employer, and dates of employment. In some cases, you may wish to include the city where you worked and/or a brief statement about the nature of the employer you worked for/the industry it is in.
You would repeat this same process for every position you have held - going back about 15 to 18 years. You would only consider including a position from further back than that if it is directly related to the position you are currently seeking. Generally 15 or so years of work history is sufficient.
Education is often the next section on a chronological resume. You generally list your most recent education first. The exception might be if you have completed some type of certificate program more recently than you received your degree. Unless the certificate is directly related to the work you are now seeking, you may need to list it after your degree. For each degree you have completed, list the name of the degree, your major area of study, the name of the institution, and generally the date you received the degree. (If you graduated long ago, you may wish to leave that date off.) If you were recognized for your grades/honors, you generally want to include that as well. If you provide your grade point average (gpa), you should include the scale on which it is based; so if you have a 3.8 on a 4.0 scale, you would indicate both numbers. You would also include that same basic information on the previous degrees/programs completed. The exception is that you do not need to include high school, unless you do not have a college education.
You may wish to include a section on professional activities or organizations to which you belong and/or a section for your volunteer activities. These can be particularly beneficial if they are related to the kind of work you hope to do or the kind of industry in which you hope to do that work. It is not appropriate to include information about your personal status and you no longer need to include the statement, "References available upon request." We will talk about the other resume formats in the next post.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement, coping with an empty nest, or planning to return to work or to school. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist in developing plans to cope with the individual's transition. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Monday, June 27, 2011
How Current Are You?
In today's world, job seekers must be current - in attire, approach to the job search, and in their use of technology. For some who have been in the world of work for a number of years, that may be easier said than done, but it is important to get up to speed.
The basics refresher - The clothes you wear, not only for interviewing, but networking also, should be clean and fairly conservative. Of course some professions who require creativity provide a little more flexibility in what is appropriate. But in general, men or women should dress as you would for work when you go to networking meetings and a little better than you would for work when you go in for a job interview. For women, it is appropriate to wear no more than one pair of earrings and no other visible piercings. A little color in your attire is generally good, but something on the conservative side would be good.
Although some of today's fashions are a bit much for some older job seekers, women or men should also not wear something that was appropriate in the 80s. So men's jackets and slacks or suits should also be current. Shoes should be polished and comfortable to walk in - and that applies to both genders. I suggest you carry a briefcase that is not too bulky or just a portfolio. Women who carry a briefcase should not also carry a purse.
In today's job market, the large majority of jobs that are filled are never advertised anywhere, so it is important to spend the majority of your search time networking. Some time should be devoted to print ads and/or online sources, but monitor your time appropriately. You also need to be able to apply for jobs online, whether it means uploading or posting your electronic version of your resume or filling out an online application. Along those same lines, you should include your cell phone number and/or email address on your resume and in your cover letter. These items indicate that you are at least fairly current with technology. Of course, for the job search purposes (including networking), you need to make sure your email address is not some goofy or cutesy sounding address. You also need to make sure that your outgoing message, whether on your home phone or cell phone, is something that is professional sounding. Additionally, if it is possible that someone else will answer calls placed to your home, make sure they will be able to speak in a professional manner and take a complete and accurate message. If that is not the case, you may wish to include only your cell phone number. In either case, label which number is which when you include them on your resume or correspondence.
It is also recommended that you have a profile on LinkedIn. It is true that many employers are checking online persona even before they invite candidates in for an interview, let alone before they make a job offer. Having a profile on LinkedIn is another way to indicate that you are at least somewhat comfortable with technology. Although Facebook is not considered as professional a site as LinkedIn, it is possible that a potential employer will check for a Facebook page for a candidate. So be careful about what is posted out there if you have a Facebook page. As an additional thought, sometimes you can introduce yourself to people because of LinkedIn connections.
So, if you are in, or about to conduct a job search, make sure your resume, wardrobe and knowledge of technology are current. That puts you in a better position to compete for the opportunities that are/or will soon be available.
Mary Ann Davis (M.A.) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, and returning to work or school. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone assisting them to find solutions to their life planning issues. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
The basics refresher - The clothes you wear, not only for interviewing, but networking also, should be clean and fairly conservative. Of course some professions who require creativity provide a little more flexibility in what is appropriate. But in general, men or women should dress as you would for work when you go to networking meetings and a little better than you would for work when you go in for a job interview. For women, it is appropriate to wear no more than one pair of earrings and no other visible piercings. A little color in your attire is generally good, but something on the conservative side would be good.
Although some of today's fashions are a bit much for some older job seekers, women or men should also not wear something that was appropriate in the 80s. So men's jackets and slacks or suits should also be current. Shoes should be polished and comfortable to walk in - and that applies to both genders. I suggest you carry a briefcase that is not too bulky or just a portfolio. Women who carry a briefcase should not also carry a purse.
In today's job market, the large majority of jobs that are filled are never advertised anywhere, so it is important to spend the majority of your search time networking. Some time should be devoted to print ads and/or online sources, but monitor your time appropriately. You also need to be able to apply for jobs online, whether it means uploading or posting your electronic version of your resume or filling out an online application. Along those same lines, you should include your cell phone number and/or email address on your resume and in your cover letter. These items indicate that you are at least fairly current with technology. Of course, for the job search purposes (including networking), you need to make sure your email address is not some goofy or cutesy sounding address. You also need to make sure that your outgoing message, whether on your home phone or cell phone, is something that is professional sounding. Additionally, if it is possible that someone else will answer calls placed to your home, make sure they will be able to speak in a professional manner and take a complete and accurate message. If that is not the case, you may wish to include only your cell phone number. In either case, label which number is which when you include them on your resume or correspondence.
It is also recommended that you have a profile on LinkedIn. It is true that many employers are checking online persona even before they invite candidates in for an interview, let alone before they make a job offer. Having a profile on LinkedIn is another way to indicate that you are at least somewhat comfortable with technology. Although Facebook is not considered as professional a site as LinkedIn, it is possible that a potential employer will check for a Facebook page for a candidate. So be careful about what is posted out there if you have a Facebook page. As an additional thought, sometimes you can introduce yourself to people because of LinkedIn connections.
So, if you are in, or about to conduct a job search, make sure your resume, wardrobe and knowledge of technology are current. That puts you in a better position to compete for the opportunities that are/or will soon be available.
Mary Ann Davis (M.A.) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, and returning to work or school. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone assisting them to find solutions to their life planning issues. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Use Your Resume to Think about Your Life (part 3)
After you have written about where you are headed and were able to create a mental picture of that scenario, if that picture is not appealing to you, or you get a cold feeling when you envision it, then you want to work at creating a different picture. I suggest you begin by looking over your historical resume to find things you did, time you spent, that was enjoyable or satisfying. Some people need to go back fairly far into their past to find some things to consider. Go back as far as needed. If, unfortunately, you do not really remember a time when you were involved in activities (job or otherwise) that brought satisfaction, enjoyment, or stimulation, then you may need to work from a different approach.
For those who do remember something, from whenever in their past, follow the suggestions from the second part on this topic. Write as much as you can about what brought you satisfaction or enjoyment or made you excited about what you were doing. Would those things still create the same feelings? If so, is there a way to get back to those days?
If not, then you probably start at the same point as the folks who weren't really able to come up with anything from their past that fits with what they want now. That is, review your historical resume, again. Look for pieces of projects or activities that brought enjoyment or satisfaction. Look for signs that indicate what you would rather have been doing - again, whether in your job or in your outside activities. After you have reviewed it, you may want to spend some time just day dreaming about what your new situation could be and what could be included. Think about the kinds of people you would like to work or interact with, the kinds of things you would like to use in your new situation, and the kinds of data/information you would like to work with and how you picture yourself using it.
Once you are able to create your new picture, write it out as a goal statement. Then work on filling in the details - the objectives you will need to achieve to get you to your goal. In developing your plans, it is good to include as many details as needed to help you be clear on where you are headed. It is also good to include time frames or target dates for completion of each objective. If you will need to continue your education to achieve your new goal, figure out where and how you will manage that. If you need to develop some additional skills, also be creative in figuring out how to make that happen. The more details you can include in your plans, the more likely you will be able to bring them into reality. It is always a good idea to have a Plan B. It does not necessarily need to be as detailed as your Plan A, but should contain enough information that if you do need to resort to it, it will be fairly easy to dust it off, fill in some holes, and proceed.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, or preparing to return to school or to work. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist them in finding solutions to their life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). For more information on her services, please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
For those who do remember something, from whenever in their past, follow the suggestions from the second part on this topic. Write as much as you can about what brought you satisfaction or enjoyment or made you excited about what you were doing. Would those things still create the same feelings? If so, is there a way to get back to those days?
If not, then you probably start at the same point as the folks who weren't really able to come up with anything from their past that fits with what they want now. That is, review your historical resume, again. Look for pieces of projects or activities that brought enjoyment or satisfaction. Look for signs that indicate what you would rather have been doing - again, whether in your job or in your outside activities. After you have reviewed it, you may want to spend some time just day dreaming about what your new situation could be and what could be included. Think about the kinds of people you would like to work or interact with, the kinds of things you would like to use in your new situation, and the kinds of data/information you would like to work with and how you picture yourself using it.
Once you are able to create your new picture, write it out as a goal statement. Then work on filling in the details - the objectives you will need to achieve to get you to your goal. In developing your plans, it is good to include as many details as needed to help you be clear on where you are headed. It is also good to include time frames or target dates for completion of each objective. If you will need to continue your education to achieve your new goal, figure out where and how you will manage that. If you need to develop some additional skills, also be creative in figuring out how to make that happen. The more details you can include in your plans, the more likely you will be able to bring them into reality. It is always a good idea to have a Plan B. It does not necessarily need to be as detailed as your Plan A, but should contain enough information that if you do need to resort to it, it will be fairly easy to dust it off, fill in some holes, and proceed.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, or preparing to return to school or to work. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist them in finding solutions to their life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). For more information on her services, please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Use Your Resume to Think About Your Life (part 2)
Once you have written about your current situation, you would begin work on your previous situation or your previous job and start the writing process again. Be sure to consider if there were other work-related or outside activities that you were involved in and write about those too. Continue that remembering and writing process, going back as far as you can - hopefully to your first job and early activities. Be sure to include your educational and learning activities.
Once you have the basics written down for your historical resume you should set it aside again, to see if other memories surface. Add those thoughts to what you have written, then begin to put your notes into a readable form. Although they do not have to be complete sentences, there should be enough written so that you can remember what you were involved in and whether or not you enjoyed it or found it satisfying.
Then you can begin to focus on where you are headed. Based on the current direction in which you are moving, what's next? Is there a job you were preparing for, or planning for, that would be a natural progression from where you are? Is there something else you hope to do in your outside activities? Again, write down thoughts about the next step, or next turn, or next path. Include as many details as possible. Try to remember what you had anticipated or hoped for at each turning point on the path so far.
Then you can review what you have written about where you are headed. Is that where you really still want to go? Can you create a clear picture - on paper or in your mind - of what that will look and feel like for you? If you have a clear picture, how does that feel? Does that give you a warm, content, or hot/exciting feeling or is it more of a cold reaction?
If you feel warm or hot, that is good. Write down as many details as you can about that picture. The more you can write, the more likely you will be able to bring it into reality. If you recalled what future you were working towards, are there things you have been able to check off on your earlier plan? Are there new things you need to add to help create that plan. If you have not already done so, it is a good idea to add some time frames to when you should reach each step in your plan. In the next post, we will talk about having a cold or neutral feeling about the picture you have created.
Mary Ann Davis (M.A.) is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, planning to return to work or school, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist in finding solutions for issues related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Once you have the basics written down for your historical resume you should set it aside again, to see if other memories surface. Add those thoughts to what you have written, then begin to put your notes into a readable form. Although they do not have to be complete sentences, there should be enough written so that you can remember what you were involved in and whether or not you enjoyed it or found it satisfying.
Then you can begin to focus on where you are headed. Based on the current direction in which you are moving, what's next? Is there a job you were preparing for, or planning for, that would be a natural progression from where you are? Is there something else you hope to do in your outside activities? Again, write down thoughts about the next step, or next turn, or next path. Include as many details as possible. Try to remember what you had anticipated or hoped for at each turning point on the path so far.
Then you can review what you have written about where you are headed. Is that where you really still want to go? Can you create a clear picture - on paper or in your mind - of what that will look and feel like for you? If you have a clear picture, how does that feel? Does that give you a warm, content, or hot/exciting feeling or is it more of a cold reaction?
If you feel warm or hot, that is good. Write down as many details as you can about that picture. The more you can write, the more likely you will be able to bring it into reality. If you recalled what future you were working towards, are there things you have been able to check off on your earlier plan? Are there new things you need to add to help create that plan. If you have not already done so, it is a good idea to add some time frames to when you should reach each step in your plan. In the next post, we will talk about having a cold or neutral feeling about the picture you have created.
Mary Ann Davis (M.A.) is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, planning to return to work or school, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist in finding solutions for issues related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Use Your Resume to Think About Your Life
Sometimes I meet with a person who says they are not happy with their life, but are not sure what they want/need to do differently. In many instances, I suggest they review their resume to think about their life - where they have been, where they are headed, and where they want to go. Many of us don't really think about those questions unless we feel our job is not secure or have decided we want a different job or line of work. I encourage my clients to review their resume every year or so, even if they don't anticipate conducting a job search. I also encourage them to create a historical resume.
When I talk about a historical resume, it is one document that includes every job you have ever had in life and at least a little information about what tasks you did and skills you used and preferably what values it met. It would also include volunteer work and other outside activities you really enjoyed or found satisfying. Most people I have worked with don't already have a historical resume, so they start one. For some folks that is a more difficult task because they have been working many, many years with changing responsibilities, or have had many different jobs over their working lives. Please keep in mind, a historical resume is for your reference only and is not shared with potential employers or recruiters.
It usually helps to start with where you are right now. If you are working, write down your job title or primary focus, the name of your employer, and a few statements about the work you are doing. Try to use as many action words/skill statements as you can in describing your job activities. Additionally, write down any outside activities that you are involved in. Also use skill statements in describing those activities and include values that are met in doing those activities. If you are not working right now, you should still write about any other activities you are involved in. This could be volunteer activities, things you do just for fun or socializing and things with the family. It can include hobbies, learning activities, physical activities, spiritual activities, travel, etc.
Generally it helps to write down what you can - without trying to form complete sentences. You may want to work on this over a few days - setting it aside from time to time to allow other thoughts/memories to come to mind. We'll address adding to your historical resume in the next post.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, preparing for a return to work or school, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone helping to find solutions to problems related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
When I talk about a historical resume, it is one document that includes every job you have ever had in life and at least a little information about what tasks you did and skills you used and preferably what values it met. It would also include volunteer work and other outside activities you really enjoyed or found satisfying. Most people I have worked with don't already have a historical resume, so they start one. For some folks that is a more difficult task because they have been working many, many years with changing responsibilities, or have had many different jobs over their working lives. Please keep in mind, a historical resume is for your reference only and is not shared with potential employers or recruiters.
It usually helps to start with where you are right now. If you are working, write down your job title or primary focus, the name of your employer, and a few statements about the work you are doing. Try to use as many action words/skill statements as you can in describing your job activities. Additionally, write down any outside activities that you are involved in. Also use skill statements in describing those activities and include values that are met in doing those activities. If you are not working right now, you should still write about any other activities you are involved in. This could be volunteer activities, things you do just for fun or socializing and things with the family. It can include hobbies, learning activities, physical activities, spiritual activities, travel, etc.
Generally it helps to write down what you can - without trying to form complete sentences. You may want to work on this over a few days - setting it aside from time to time to allow other thoughts/memories to come to mind. We'll address adding to your historical resume in the next post.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, preparing for a return to work or school, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone helping to find solutions to problems related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
How Well Balanced Is Your Life Wheel (part 5)
The last several posts have addressed the various aspects of your life wheel - the occupational, physical, social, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual spokes. A related topic has to do with play and relaxation. No matter what age you are, I think you should still make time for play and relaxation in your life. I'm not suggesting that you take up a new sport or game, but find ways to have fun.
It may be that you enjoy dancing, well do it - even if its just in your own living room - or take a dance class. Maybe you used to love to bowl or shoot pool - get with some friends and get back to it - even it if means using a lighter ball or cue. When was the last time you went to a matinee to see a comedy or an animated feature? Think of things you enjoy doing and make time for them.
Laughing truly is one of the best medicines for your overall health. Particularly at those times when you're feeling down and out, you should seek out family/friends who have a positive outlook on life to spend some time with. It is too easy when you are already feeling low to sink even lower if you are around negative people. Listen to some upbeat music or watch a funny movie. Look for ways and people to help brighten your day.
When was the last time you went on a picnic or a nature walk or visited the zoo? When was the last time you sat and gazed at the stars or strolled through a garden? Appreciating nature can also be a good way to relax.
I also think it is important to take time to appreciate the good things you do have in your life. Sometimes we get so caught up in what is wrong with our lives, that we don't recognize what is right. Taking the time to be grateful for what you have in life, including good people, can help you recognize that perhaps even despite the current situation, there is some good for which you should be grateful.
Mary Ann Davis (MA) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement, loss of job, coping with an empty nest, preparing to return to work or school, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone helping to find solutions to problems related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
It may be that you enjoy dancing, well do it - even if its just in your own living room - or take a dance class. Maybe you used to love to bowl or shoot pool - get with some friends and get back to it - even it if means using a lighter ball or cue. When was the last time you went to a matinee to see a comedy or an animated feature? Think of things you enjoy doing and make time for them.
Laughing truly is one of the best medicines for your overall health. Particularly at those times when you're feeling down and out, you should seek out family/friends who have a positive outlook on life to spend some time with. It is too easy when you are already feeling low to sink even lower if you are around negative people. Listen to some upbeat music or watch a funny movie. Look for ways and people to help brighten your day.
When was the last time you went on a picnic or a nature walk or visited the zoo? When was the last time you sat and gazed at the stars or strolled through a garden? Appreciating nature can also be a good way to relax.
I also think it is important to take time to appreciate the good things you do have in your life. Sometimes we get so caught up in what is wrong with our lives, that we don't recognize what is right. Taking the time to be grateful for what you have in life, including good people, can help you recognize that perhaps even despite the current situation, there is some good for which you should be grateful.
Mary Ann Davis (MA) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, planning for retirement, loss of job, coping with an empty nest, preparing to return to work or school, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone helping to find solutions to problems related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
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