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Febuary 05: Vol 2, Issue 2
Brought to you by Powerful-Sample-Resume-Formats.com
Kathi MacNaughton, Editor

Tips & advice for anyone wanting to earn a job interview through writing a powerful resume!


"Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be. "... Karen Ravn february resume newsletter divider

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Welcome back! Winter is deep upon us, at least those of us in the northern reaches of our globe. But don't let the winter doldrums grab you.

Take a look at this month's feature article by our guest author, Patricia Soldati. If you've considered or are considering a career change, her advice is worth listening to.

Speaking of advice, have you discovered my Career Blog yet? Check it out and add the RSS feed to your My Yahoo page. I blog at least once a week (sometimes more), so you don't want to miss the tips and advice you'll find there!

I hope you enjoy this issue. I made it just for you!) :-)

Please feel free to tell your friends about this eZine… just send them to the URL below to subscribe:

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Here are some recent headlines about the great job hunt and the employment market:

  • February Employment Growth Exceeds January Pace—According to Yahoo News, which reported on new numbers from the Leading Indicator of National Employment (LINE(TM)), February's employment growth exceeded the sluggish pace seen in January. New job growth remains encouraging as most U.S. manufacturers reportedly plan to hire for vacant positions over the next 30 days.


  • Job-Hunting on the Internet Struggles with Demand, But Networking Remains Key Avenue to Job-Search Success—"Job-seekers almost always undervalue the power of networking, of using your friends, families, colleagues, acquaintances – and all their friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and so on," said Dr. Randall Hansen, one of the nation’s leading career experts, in a recent talk on the current state of job-hunting. "And now, job-seekers can take that networking power in a whole new direction by using some of the many resources available on the Internet."

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De-Bunking The "Follow Your Bliss" Myth

by Patricia Soldati

I don't know about you... but I'm pretty tired of hearing about how you can "follow your dream" in three or four easy steps. I've seen plenty of people leap before they sufficiently looked—and end up dissatisfied or broke, or both. I've also had clients come to me after reading a hot, new book or attending a workshop. And they still can’t figure out what it is they want to do for a living.

Of course not! You can't think your way to a new career—or, at least you can't 99% of the time.

The truth is that career change is no walk in the park. It takes focus, a smart strategy and guts.

Focus
Anyone can start their career change effort with vigor. But keeping your fires burning for the duration of your journey is another story. Given the roadblocks and the absence of any hard deadlines, it's just the kind of "priority" that can fall through the cracks of your busy life.

The key is to create an environment of accountability. Here are four ways to do this:

  1. Schedule your career change activities into your weekly calendar. As Steven Covey would say, make it a "big rock" priority.


  2. Register for a class or workshop that keeps you engaged and focused for an extended period of time.


  3. Career change can't be done in a vacuum. Work with a mentor or coach who has a good business head and market perspective.


  4. Know exactly what you hope to gain from your career change. A clear and compelling personal benefit is your secret weapon to hanging in there for the duration of your journey.

A Smart Strategy
The old adage "look before you leap" is perfect advice for prospective career-changers. Keep your day job and let your paycheck enable you to take all the time you need to discover new work options and test them out. Once you are clear that a particular path is right for you—craft a good plan to get there. At a minimum, your plan will include new training requirements and timing, building a new network, and a communications strategy for leaving your current employer.

Guts
Successful career-changers know two things: First, how critical the courage factor is to their ultimate success; and, second, that it's not possible to feel courageous 100% of the time. By its very nature, the career-change journey is a wiggly road. When your courage is on the wane, try these approaches:

  1. Don’t confuse uncertainty with disaster. Avoid the mental “drama” that takes you to the worst possible outcome. These projections are not your present reality.


  2. Focus on your gifts and talents. Acknowledge yourself—deeply, and at the feeling level—for the experience and skills you have gained. Write them down as a reminder of your abundance.


  3. Trust in Divine Presence. As long as you continue to pursue your career change smartly, and take solid, active steps (i.e., do your part!), providence will support you as well.

Finally, remember that we are indeed, a ‘free agent’ nation. Safe, smart career change is possible and thousands of people just like you have successfully re-invented their working lives. Without question, you can, too.


About the Author: Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national finance organization who re-invented her working life in 2001. As a career strategist, she uses her considerable business savvy to guide burned out corporate professionals into soul-satisfying work, safely and smartly. For more about her background and approach, visit www.findworkyouloveandthrive.com.

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What Would You Like to See More of On Our Site?  This month's survey is looking for more feedback from our subscribers and site visitors about what you'd like to see on this site. Please help us to make the site better!

Fill out the survey & see all of the results

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Question: I am not actively looking for a job, but would like to have my resume ready in case I would need it in the future. For the last six years, I have been a stay at home mom. I have a BA, and work experience from the past. What do I say that I have been doing for the last six years? Answer: A few missing years in your employment history can come back to haunt you when it comes time to re-enter the workforce. But this challenge can be faced & overcome. You just need to figure out how to tactfully and accurately address the missing years in your resume and cover letter. Read the rest of my answer here...

See other questions here

Ask a question of your own here

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Jimmy Sweeney's Amazing Cover Letters—Jimmy has a fun writing style that imparts a lot of wisdom. You can download a free ebook here (password: jimmy), but then please go check out his full-fledged book.

I think that’s enough for this month! Look for your next issue in another month or so, as I have enough to fill an issue.

Happy job hunting,


kathi@powerful-sample-resume-formats.com

© Copyright 2005 Powerful-Sample-Resume-Formats.com. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from kathi@powerful-sample-resume-formats.com. All contents are provided as is. No expressed or implied income claims are made herein. Your job hunting success is always dependent on many factors, including your own abilities. Advertisers are solely responsible for ad contents.

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