Friday, May 8, 2020

The Recession is Bullhonkey Kates Story

The Recession is Bullhonkey Kates Story good things come to those who work their asses off and never give up by BitsoTruth This is part of  The Recession is Bullhonkey  series, where I share stories of those who have gotten hired and/or started their own businesses (or sometimes both!) since 2008. This is Kates  Story, where she talks about her crazy career transition and how she secured the job of her dreams not once, but twice!   I’m glad I started architecture school in 2007, before the economy tanked,  because frankly, I don’t know if I would have had the guts to do it otherwise. I  was already traveling down a stable, well-worn career path in accounting. Four  years of hard work, licensing exams, and promotions were behind me; I’d be  crazy to throw that away, right? Many people used the word “crazy” to describe my career change, but to me  it felt the exact opposite. I had always wanted to be an architect and to never  even pursue that passion would be the craziest of all. How I got so sidetracked  into preparing tax returns instead of designing buildings is a whole other story.  The point is that I made my decision to quit my job to attend architecture school  amidst lots of questions about my sanity. If I there had been an added layer  of uncertainty due to a recession, maybe I wouldn’t have done it. I can only be  grateful for this timing that was beyond my control. My good timing continued as I finished grad school in 2010, in the midst of a  recession and two year free-fall in the architecture industry. I hear you calling  me crazy again, but I truly believe that it forced to learn skills and lessons that  I would have never signed up for voluntarily. As I moved myself back into my  parents’ house, I was definitely not feeling the “good timing” vibe. Over one third  of designer positions had been eliminated nationwide, which meant that any job  application I sent would be joined by hundreds of others, from people who were  most likely more experienced than I. Why would any one choose me? How  could I possibly compete? Why even bother trying? Why didn’t I just return to  accounting? All of these were questions posed to me by others and by my own  brain, as I lay awake at night. I started my job search with stubbornness and sheer determination that I would  make it work out. I researched countless firms and created a color-coded  spreadsheet to track those to which I applied. No one was posting job openings,  but I sent emails to whatever address I could find on their websites. I got a lot  of computer-generated and anonymous “No, sorry.” email responses, and a lot  of no responses at all. I was sad and cried to my ever-patient boyfriend. I was  angry and snapped at my ever-helpful parents and friends. I mention my initial  reactions mostly to point out that I didn’t get it right the first time, which seems to  be a pattern for me, but I’m hoping my hindsight can help you get it right faster. So here are some things that helped me eventually get hired: I found a routine that worked for me and then stuck to it. Three was the magic  number of hours that I could work on my cover letters, resume or portfolio in a  row without a long break. After that, I’d take breaks for exercise, food or let’s be  honest, mostly naps. Some times I had to schedule something, like a phone call  with a friend, just to make sure I stepped away from the laptop. I said yes to every networking event, industry happy hour, lecture etc. As an  introvert, this was not my cup of tea. But I made a conscious decision that every  time a person said, “Hey, I know an architect, do you want to talk to her/him?” I  would say, “Yes!” Some of the events seemed fruitless, but there were a handful  that were extremely inspiring, with people who were very encouraging. I was  terrible at predicting which event would be one way or the other, so my strategy  of saying yes to everything was all I had. Soon I began to see the same helpful  faces at the events, and although they still weren’t hiring, I learned nuances  about the firms that couldn’t be picked up from their websites. I wrote down a list of positive things I did have, to counteract my hyper-focus  on what I was lacking, a job. I was grateful for a free place to stay and home-cooked food. The suburbs provided lots of greenery, running trails, and peace  and quiet. I had the freedom to do things on my time, like take that 10am  kickboxing class that wouldn’t be possible on an average workday in an office. I also kept two lists of advice: one to which I choose to listen from all of the  supportive people and one that I choose to reject from all of the pessimistic  people. I recommend writing it all down, reading the first one often and tucking  the other one respectfully away. Although constant forward motion, even on the days I didn’t feel like it, seemed  to be most helpful, sometimes the best thing was just be still. There were some  days I allowed myself to be fed up and do nothing. Job searching had become  my full-time job, and mental health days are important for everyone who is  working whether they are getting paid or not. Six months after moving home, which in unemployment time feels like six years,  I received a job offer! It was the result of one of the informational interviews  I had done three months earlier. The architect had no work at the time I first  contacted him, but he remembered and pulled my resume back out when work began to pick up. The job was actually a hybrid of architecture and accounting  work. It worked out great for a few months, but slowly the architecture jobs came to a halt. The accounting work was still there, while there are always  bank statements to be reconciled and bills to be paid. I began to hear the  phrase, “You should be happy you have a job. So many people don’t.” But I had  come way too far to settle now. I started reaching out to contacts I had made during my months at home, and  found a temporary position at a larger architecture firm. Again they had received  my resume months ago, and noted in my interview that they were impressed I  had stayed involved in the design community, even while no one was hiring. I  was given no guarantee that I would become permanent, while the industry was  still holding its breath waiting for projects to be built. In the past, the idea of giving up a stable job with benefits during a recession in  pursuit of a temporary hourly position would have given me pause. Luckily I felt  confident that I could use some of the same tactics I used while job searching to  pursue the full-time position I desired. I kept moving forward and tried to think  positively about what I did have- this time the list included a job! I talked to as  many people as possible, not just the ones I worked with every day. I joined the  firm’s softball team and volunteered for pro-bono projects. After four months, I was offered a full-time position with the firm. Friends and  family’s reactions included, “You made it!” and “Finally, you can relax!” While  I am very happy to be a permanent employee, I also know there’s no such  thing, and am realistic that I could be in a similar position again where I need to  remember the lessons I learned. Better than a job, I’ve gained the knowledge  that I would be okay if I suddenly didn’t have one again. I would figure it out.  I wouldn’t settle, but I would find a way to stay afloat until I found another  opportunity. Any timing, good or seemingly bad, that has brought me that  confidence is worth it. Kate is a designer at an architecture firm, resident of Philadelphia, and sporadic  tweeter .

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Ratings For Writing Resume - Why the Employer Wants to Find Out What it is About

Ratings For Writing Resume - Why the Employer Wants to Find Out What it is AboutTo find the best rating for writing resume is a subjective thing. What matters most to us is what we find appealing about the project itself, which can really be different from what the employer is looking for.Why do you think HR people look at resumes to begin with? HR and recruiting professionals look for resumes that meet their criteria. When looking at resumes, they don't just look at them for the reason that they'll look at them to hire an employee. They look at the reason why a resume is being passed over.When you're an employer, you don't even really have to do the homework on the type of resume a candidate would like to receive. It's up to the job posting because in the event of the employer finding a reason to pass over a candidate they simply replace it with another. When a prospective employee signs a resume they are signing a legal agreement that it is void in any state for illegal activity, w hich is in essence part of what the resume was for. The employer is legally bound to honor all those parts of the job posting agreement, and they will not allow a resume for a person to be negated as part of this agreement.There are high profile examples of this. Cesar Millan starred in a news report about how they eliminated over 90 jobs from a losing company. For an employer this was a huge embarrassment, and they did a job posting that they would consider candidates for every position. A high profile example of someone being a better candidate would include someone who has bad credit and have avoided it for a long time. These candidates could just have this money stolen from them, and then from their credit card, and when the dust settles the resume is nothing more than junk.For the HR professional that looking at resumes they are looking at them to find employment. They're looking for people that are up to date on all the latest knowledge. They're looking for people that know ho w to do the project. If the person didn't know how to do the project, they would have to provide them for the hiring company.There are specific positions for these that are going to follow that have particular skills. There are some instances where an employer may say 'this job is a disaster', then you have the right to be able to address this in your resume. They have that option to not hire you as they want.When looking at a resume you can see a completely different perspective if you don't know the state they were from. Being clear about the job does a huge part in making them better candidates. One of the best ratings for writing resume is to have someone who can say if you were doing well or not. As much as a question mark appears it might be true.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Comedy Centrals Glass Ceiling Board Game Sketch

Comedy Central's 'Glass Ceiling' Board Game Sketch In a new short sketch detailing a fake board game called “Glass Ceiling,” Comedy Central lampoons the glass ceiling, wage gap, and other issues of gender and workplace. The fictitious game is similar to Life, but instead with a sharper edge, educating its players about the difficulties of sexual harassment at work, HR departments that side with the company instead of its employees, and being passed over for less qualified male coworkers. “This game sucks,” says one girl, as she slams a sneaker into the board. After showing three girls who were very dissatisfied with the game, the sketch, which hasn’t quite gone viral yet with about 25,000 views, turns to the boy-oriented equivalent, called “Privilege.”

Monday, March 16, 2020

5 Tips for Creating a Great Master Resume -

5 Tips for Creating a Great Master Resume -When conducting a job search, you should never send out the same resume to every potential employer. You need to tailor yur resume for each individual company and position. When youre writing your resume, you need to remember that every resume that you send to a company should be telling a hiring manager why you will be a valuable employee for their company, and the position they are looking to fill. Hiring managers dont want to have to guess at why youre a good fit. They want you to make it clear to them, both in your cover letter and on your resume. Creating and sending in one generic resume to every employer may make life easier for you, but a generic resume is never going to be an effective resume and its not doing much to get you an interview or help you land a job.Howevereven though you shouldnt send it in to a prospective employer, you should still create a master resume. What is a master resume? Its one long document that includes al l the pertinent details from your work history, allowing you to pull from it as you create multiple, tailored resumes. As a result, you dont have to start fresh every single time you go to write a resume. And, when you have a master resume close at hand youre going to be less likely to forget even minor details that could make a difference to a future job opportunity.Master resumes offer many benefits, including allowing you to store all of the details of your career in one place and helping you organize your job search. If you are interested in making the most of this document so you can write great resumes and stand out as an applicant, take a look at five ways to write a strong master resume1. Find Your Old Resumes (and an old cover letter or two).While you want to create a mora modern resumewith a modern format along with updated informationan old resume can be a great repository of information. An easy way for you to create a great master resume is to start by finding all of yo ur old ones. Its probable that over the years, youve developed and discarded dozens of resumes. Dig them out, not just for the old job descriptions but also for the skills and accomplishments youve accumulated during your professional experience. You might be surprised by some qualifications and achievements youve forgotten about that might be relevant for jobs you may want to pursue in the future. An old cover letter might also remind you of parteicular phrases or descriptions of work experience that can help you craft a more effective master resume. When youre looking through these documents, take the time to write down action verbs, keywords, etc., that jump out at you as well. Your master resume can be a repository for all kinds of informationnot just dates and job responsibilities.2. Think About All Aspects of Your Career.When youre writing a resume, its also good to sit down and contemplate all of the aspects of your career, including any committees you may be a part of in rel ation to your job. Anything that you participate in that could help you to excel in a job later in your career can be added to your master resume now for future reference. You should also list out things like certifications, and professional development opportunities that may help you stand out as a candidate for a particular job. You never know what experience a future employer might be looking for in an applicant.3. Look Beyond Your Professional Life.Its important not to forget that you have a life outside of your career. So if you volunteer for an organization, work in your familys mom-and-pop shop, or even rescue animals, the skills that you acquire can be listed in the master resume. Companies may also just generally look favorably on people who have volunteer experience, or who have a wide network of contacts in the community.4. Ask Your Friends and Coworkers for Help.Dont be shy about looking to friends and coworkers for help with your master resume. Since its not your profes sional resume and you will never actually submit it to a company (its just for organizational purposes), you can add all of the information you desire, including input from people who know your work ethic and can contribute their two cents about your skills and qualifications as they see them. Perhaps you dont think of yourself as having leadership skillsa friend or colleague might be able to give you a few great examples of why you do have them. Then, as you polish your application documents, you can pick and choose the relevant information to add before sending your resume to a potential employer.5. Create One While Youre Still Working.Probably one of the best ways to create a master resume is to work on it while youre still employed. For instance, if youve just completed an impressive assignment but know that you could forget about it years down the line, take a moment from your busy schedule to jot down details about it in your master resume as soon as you get home.A master resu me is an amazing tool for helping you to create beautifully tailored resumes (while keeping you organized) as you decide in which direction you want to move in your career. So take advantage of these resume writing tips as you work on creating the masterpiece that is your master resume.If youd like to work with a professional resume writer during your job search, the team at Great Resumes Fast would like to speak with you. The Great Resumes Fast resume writing service was built with the goal of helping people achieve their career goals. When you work with one of our resume writers, we take the time to learn about your work history and goals, and take the time to craft a professional resume that is tailored to you and your career needs.Learn more about our team and how we work on our About Page.For hundreds more resume writing tips, as well as cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and general career advice, head over to our blog. For examples of resumes that can help get you jump-started o n writing your resume, head over to our resume samples page.If youre ready to get started working with professional resume writers to write your resume, get in touch with us. Are you tired of your resume being rejected by applicant tracking systems? I know how frustrating it is to submit your resume and receive no response. I hate seeing qualified people never break through the screening process. It shouldnt be that way. Thats why I created this guide and I encourage you to download the FREE PDF so you can start seeing better resume response rates

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

11 Tax Tips That Could Save You Enough To Buy A VW Bug

11 Tax Tips That Could Save You Enough To Buy A VW Bug I cant claim to know everything about doing taxes as a contract worker. But I can tell you that eight years ago, what I lost in taxes could have bought me a well-cared for 71 VW Bug. With my moms patience, my tax guys genius, and seven more years of working under 1099s, Ive learned a few things. If youre a freelancer (or thinking of transitioning into it), heres what I wish Id known before first getting my tax onIf you are on a 1099, your employers are leid taxing your income.Which means, when you go to file your taxes, you are going to owe the IRS a number that will shock your socks off...unless you itemize your taxes with deductions and write-offs.Yep, you are now one of those folks who has deductions.Welcome to some hard-core adulting. Itemized taxes are way more complex than the standard Turbo-tax plug and play youve come to know and love.Deductions a definition.I like to think of deductions (aka write-offs) as business expen ses. Any cost related to me making an income is a deduction. For example, if I buy a latte while discussing a writing project with a client, thats an expense I can write-off.Receipts are friends, not fodder for the recycling bin.Write-offs require proof. In the United States of Taxlandia, you must be able to show and tell about each of your purchases in case the IRS audits you. The old school way of doing this is to collect receipts, and write on each how the cost is related to being a writer, and sticking that receipt in a sacred distributionspolitik (I use an dilapidated shoe box).No receipts? No problem.Retrace your credit and debit spending online, looking for statements that jog your memory. I highly recommend getting a business-expense credit card, which youll only use for write-off friendly purchases seriously, a game changer come tax time.There are a magical number of things you can write-off.Remember, write-offs are aboutcosts related to making your income. Anything you pa y for that enables you to do your job is a write-off. Heres a quick list of things Ive written off in the past -My cell phone plan and my smartphone upgrade -Netflix subscription (oh, how I miss the days of blogging about movies) -Printer toner, Moleskin notebooks, earbuds -50+ square feet of my apartment, where my work station is set upAnything you spend money on that helps you do your job is on the table, though I recommend you talk to a professional before setting anything in Formica (or the stone of your choosing).Dont be afraid of your losses.Have a client who didnt pony up after receiving an invoice, or welches your printer stolen? So long as you have a paper trail, you have a case to report, and thus write-off, your losses.Track transportation expensesOh you better believe you can write off work-related mileage, bridge tolls, and even car maintenance. Keep a notebook in your glove compartment with the date, mileage, and cost of all driving activities to make reporting the se deductions easy-cheesy....and medical expenses, too.Medical expenses include that time you tried acupuncture, sports massage, and naturopath subscribed supplements, to name a few.No more drop and dashing at the library.Any time you donate gently used books, that funky Niagara Falls t-shirt, or your collection ofParenthood(wait Ill take that), stick around for a receipt. And hang-on to emails showing you donated to a GoFundMe and your local NPR affiliate. Provided you have the paperwork, those are tax-deductible, too.Hire a pro.It can be tricky to catch all the bits and bobs floating about in your expenditures and one misstep plus bad-luck fairy dust can lead the IRS to your door (yikes). A tax pro might seem like one more hard cost to swallow, but I cant sing the praises of these good eggs enough.Good luck out there, and let me know if you have any favorite tips for keeping your IRS payment low--When Alicia was 17, she wrote an essay titled I Am a Snail Watcher. The themes of th at essaynoticing tiny details, celebrating small victories, and rooting for the under-appreciatedstill apply to her daily life and affect her writing.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Friday, March 6, 2020

The Downside Risk of Professional Resume Writing (Cprw) Certification That No One Is Talking About

The Downside Risk of Professional Resume Writing (Cprw) Certification That No One Is Talking About Professional Resume Writing ( Cprw ) Certification Features The people want to clearly show their professionalism when they wish to submit an application for high post in any organization. As a rule of thumb, you should only consist of work experience thats related to the job that youre applying. Our career experts explain all you want to learn about locating a job without a degree here. Old resumes were written like that. Choosing Good Professional Resume Writing ( Cprw ) Certification Employers search for candidates that have high standards and great writing abilities. The NCRW Certification Commission is composed of volunteers who are devoted to promoting the greatest standards of resume excellence. A professional resume writing service needs to be your final choice in regards to writing resumes. A writer has to have a talent and gift for writing, editing and reviewing ze ugungsfhig and strong resumes that successfully advertise our customers to their possible employer. Even in the event you apply all techniques supplied by online resume builders, writing a really professional CV is quite tough and is about details. There are occasions when even the most seasoned resume writer should carry out a reasonable amount of research BEFORE starting to compose any resume. As soon as you attain your CRS you may add the credential beside your name. Make sure your resume is right for your career phase and degree of expertise. As with any other professional you hire, you are going to want to ask the right prescreening questions. Your marketing resume needs to be outstanding so you can stick out from the crowd and will win the work opportunity. The resumes are extremely critical for each individual who needs to have a great job. A Resume Writer should be able to translate the info from a verbal conversation onto paper. Turning into a CMRW usually means that youre among the very best of the very best. Lindsay Duston is a seasoned resume writer that has been writing executive-level resumes for mora than 15 decades. Resume Writers salary will be decided by experience. Many businesses are now there who can assist you with such Resume Services. Resume services are extremely much popular as a result of their effectiveness. Resumes are the document thats provided to unique businesses and employers when they wish to find work. Professional Resume Writing (Cprw) Certification and Professional Resume Writing ( Cprw ) Certification - The Perfect Combination As writing a resume is only a simple task but its also an important undertaking. From grammar to formatting and strategy, you will learn all you will need to stand out as an authority in the area. The process of producing your resume is fairly quick. Resume formatting is just one of the most influential aspects affecting your resumes capacity to create interviews. Resume wri ting can be a true job for everybody, even if you have many years of experience in your work. Youre the only person whos accountable for landing work. You wish to know whether hiring a professional resume writer is best for you. Your writer has to learn if you have specific positions that are currently advertised or if you want a more generic resume for the career field generally speaking.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Essentials of Systems Analyst Resume You Will be Able to Learn From Starting Right Away

The Essentials of Systems Analyst Resume You Will be Able to Learn From Starting Right Away The previous portion of the resume is about your professional experience. Dont say you have good computer abilities. To earn an ideal skills section, list your finest skills and the very best skills youve got from the work offer. Technical knowledge and comprehension of computer programming also is crucial. My demonstrated record of succeeding in a plethora of industries will make me an immediate contributor at your organization. Many distinct industries employ business analysts with assorted roles and titles. So many businesses today need analysts, but the trick is to find the right resume out there so that you can make the most of the jobs out there. A career for a business analyst can be very rewarding. If you wish to develop into a business analyst, youre in high demand. geschftliches miteinander analysts are extremely hot roles in the industry, especially in industries like ba nking and insurance. A business analyst should be a great communicator. A hiring manager searching for a Data Analyst is searching for a hardworking individual with superior understanding of business information ordnungsprinzips, mathematics, and statistics. Begin with searching online resources for what you could discover on the provider. You also could have done Volunteer Work or independent Projects that youre able to include. Most jobs are with organizations in a number of industries. Its also simple to customize to satisfy your particular job requirements. By making a thorough description of the vacant senior systems analyst job readily available to prospective candidates, you are going to be in a position to get the ideal candidates for the job, who will have the ability to do the duties and duties of the role excellently. For instance, it is unnecessary to include job details about a cashier position in case you have relevant experience that more closely is related to the position youre applying for. The work also requires an in-depth understanding of a huge quantity of technology. An understanding of the particular field an analyst is working in is useful in acquiring a position. You really need to do analysis, but whether you will need a person who just does that is a really massive assumption. Posting work description and waiting for a response is a remarkable start. The summary is normally the very first thing on your resume in the lack of an objective. The Upside to Systems Analyst Resume A systems analyst should have ample technical skills since they must help the technical team design an item thats to suit the customers needs. Because he will be expected to build a computer infrastructure, your objective should reflect your ability to use existing technology to build an effective network. Any systems analyst should have great interpersonal skills and the capacity to manage people. A business systems analyst has the capacity t o determine best codes regarding speed, usability and maintenance. Systems analysts are also called systems designers. Network Systems Analysts ought to be adept in overseeing the role of computers in a network. Computer systems analysts want to learn the company side of their career. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Systems Analyst Resume Is Wrong The purpose of the project was supposed to recognize the issue and propose a productive solution that would increase the functionality of the system. To continue to keep your application competitive, you will need to concentrate on improving your resume. Got a comprehensive comprehension of business functionality and took the duty of preparing the Functionality Test Plan that was used by testing team whilst doing their testing procedure. Frequently, you will implement your new system with software adjustment, rather than custom-built programs. Most hiring managers wish to find a cover letter together with your data scien tist resume. In the end, focus on how the recruiter or hiring manager will concentrate on results. Though jobs are abundant, youll still require a strong cover letter to receive your foot in the door at an important firm. The job takes a whole lot of precision and attention to detail. Through the procedure for solving technical difficulties, the infrastructure analyst then creates procedures which other technical workers can perform so the infrastructure analyst does not need to be consulted again, as stated by the Michigan Civil Service Commission. You should use whatever is suitable for your executives or project. With the usage of inclusive instruments and techniques, and with a little training, stakeholders may get active participants in the development efforts. Specifically, in scenarios where the stakeholders are unable to partially co-locate with the development team the BSA has to work with them in their very own atmosphere.