A new beginning

Christmas. Food. Lots and lots of food. After the last two Christmases of being a really good little Weight Watcher, yesterday I made the attempt but finally said to hell with it. The Weight Watcher recipes I made turned out disastrous.<br /><br />The Weight Watcher stuffing recipe, the Smashed Buttermilk Potatoes from their Thanksgiving magazine issue, and the 3-Point pumpkin pie all tasted really terrible. The stuffing was dry, the potatoes, well, turns out I hate buttermilk, and the pie, I messed up and accidentally doubled the sugar. It wasn't even edible.<br /><br />So I dug into the real stuffing that was full of butter (I know, because I made it) and the real mashed potatoes with again, lots of butter. Because doesn't lots of butter equal lots of love?<br /><br />I also drank too many Pomegranate martinis. Actually, they were mostly juice. I love Pomegranate juice but it's very high calorie so it wasn't much of a trade off to have mostly juice instead of vodka.<br /><br />Oh, and the pumpkin pie from Costco. It's ginormous so I'm sure a piece isn't 8 Points like a normal pie. Probably more like 16Points. Bad. All very, very bad.<br /><br />A strange thing happened yesterday morning, my brand new scales stopped working. I stepped on them and nothing. These were my second new scales in about three months. They both stopped working for no apparent reason. A new battery didn't help either. On my list of things to do today is buy new scales so I can weigh in before the new year.<br /><br />I started off today reading several posts by other bloggers. I was surprised by how many people said they ate poorly yesterday but <u>they'd get back on program after the first of the year</u>. What???<br /><br />That sort of surprised me. My intent was to get back on program TODAY. After reading about other people waiting to start after January 1st, I thought, well, maybe that's not a bad idea. I have all this great food in the house, how am I going to resist it. Why not just give in and eat what I want for a whole week?<br /><br />Then I read <a href="http://jackfit.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-your-wake-up-call.html" target="blank">Jack's</a> post, and I came to my senses. That was crazy thinking, eat what I want for a week?! It's like I went temporarily insane. I was 175.4 on Christmas Eve day. I probably gained a couple pounds yesterday, and if I continue to eat like yesterday for a whole week I could easily pack on another five pounds.<br /><br />No worries. It's not going to happen. The gym opens at 8am, and I'm going to be there. I'm getting dressed as soon as I finish this post. After my workout I'll stop by the store and buy another new scale so I can weigh in today.

A new beginning

Christmas. Food. Lots and lots of food. After the last two Christmases of being a really good little Weight Watcher, yesterday I made the at...

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Not Getting Hired? 10 Reasons Why

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7s/ar5c6zb75ml06h4fny7s.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7s/ar5c6zb75ml06h4fny7s.gif" /></a><br /></div><br />You don't understand. You updated your résumé, you're applying to jobs every day, you've cleaned up your digital dirt and you network every day. Yet here you still are on the unemployment list. What is wrong with employers? <br /><br />Unfortunately, many job seekers don't stop to consider that the problem might not be employers but themselves. <br /><br />It's a hard concept that most job seekers have trouble wrapping their heads around, but applicants frequently (and inadvertently) display signs that tell an employer that they're not the best fit for the job. <br /><br />According to a 2009 CareerBuilder survey, 47 percent of employers said that finding qualified applicants is their biggest hiring challenge. When asked to identify the most valuable characteristics in new hires, employers cited multitasking, initiative and creative problem-solving.<br /><br />Do you lack what employers want? Yes, there are fewer jobs and there is more competition, but are you doing everything you can? Here are 10 reasons why employers might have passed you by.<br /><br />1. You lie<br />Any lies you tell in your job search, whether on your résumé or in an interview, will come back to haunt you. In a 2008 CareerBuilder survey, 49 percent of hiring managers reported they caught a candidate lying on his or her résumé; of those employers, 57 percent said they automatically dismissed the applicant. Everything you tell an employer can be discovered, so it behooves you to be honest from the get-go. If you're concerned about something in your past, invention is not the answer. Use your cover letter to tell your story, focusing on your strengths and accomplishments and explaining any areas of concern if needed.<br /><br />2. You have a potty mouth<br />It's certainly tempting to tell anyone who will listen how big of a (insert expletive here) your current boss is, but a hiring manager for a new job is not that person. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 44 percent of employers said that talking negatively about current or previous employers was one of the most detrimental mistakes a candidate can make. Find a way to turn those negative things job into positives. If you can't get along with your co-workers, for example, tell the prospective employer that you're looking for a work environment where you feel like you're part of a team and your current position doesn't allow for that kind of atmosphere.<br /><br />3. You don't show long-term potential<br />Employers want people in their organization to work their way up, so it's best to show that you want to and can grow with the company. If you were asked where you see yourself in five years and you gave an answer that wasn't related to the position or company you're interviewing with, kiss your chances goodbye. Ask questions like, "What type of career movement do you envision for the most successful candidate in this role?" It shows that you have envisioned your future at the company. <br /><br />4. You have serious digital dirt<br />Social networking sites and online searches are the newest way that many employers are checking up on prospective hires. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 45 percent of employers use social networking sites to research candidates. Thirty-five percent of those employers found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate. Make sure to remove any photos, content or links that can work against you in an employer's eyes.<br /><br />5. You don't know ... well, anything<br />In two separate 2009 CareerBuilder surveys, 58 percent of employers said that coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company was a turnoff, and 49 percent said that not asking good questions cost candidates a job offer. Plain and simple, do your homework before an interview. Explore the company online, prepare answers to questions and have someone give you a mock interview. The more prepared you are, the more employers will take you seriously.<br /><br />6. You acted bored, cocky or disinterested<br />A little enthusiasm never hurt anyone, especially when it comes to a potential new job. Forty-five percent of employers in a 2009 CareerBuilder survey said that the biggest mistake candidates made in the interview was appearing disinterested and 42 percent said appearing arrogant cost applicants the job. Every business wants to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers, so acting the opposite will get you nowhere.<br /><br />7. You were a little too personal<br />Seventeen percent of employers said that candidates who provided too much personal information in the interview essentially blew their chances at the job, according to a 2009 CareerBuilder survey. Not only does personal information offend some people, but anytime you talk about topics such as your hobbies, race, age or religion, you're setting yourself up for bias. Though it's illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants because of any of these factors, some will do so, regardless. <br /><br />8. You were all dollars, no sense<br />As a general rule of thumb, you should never bring up salary before the employer does. Doing so is tacky and makes the employer think that you care about the money involved, not about helping the employer succeed. If the topic does arise, however, be honest about your salary history. Employers can verify your salary in a matter of minutes these days, so lying only makes you look bad. <br /><br />9. You didn't -- or can't -- give examples<br />Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the organization's revenues, decrease its costs or help it succeed in some way. If all you give to an employer is a bunch of empty words about your accomplishments, you don't demonstrate how you can help the company. In fact, 35 percent of employers said that the most detrimental mistake candidates make is not providing specific examples in the interview. The more you can quantify your work, the better.<br /><br />10. You don't have enough experience<br />Managers don't have as much time as they used to to train and mentor new employees. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding. The best way to show that you know what you're doing is to give the employer concrete examples of your experience in a given job duty.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

Not Getting Hired? 10 Reasons Why

You don't understand. You updated your résumé, you're applying to jobs every day, you've cleaned up your digital dirt and you ne...

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5 Jobs for Internet Addicts

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/dd/ar5b3xx5z31lvmps63dd.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/dd/ar5b3xx5z31lvmps63dd.gif" /></a><br /></div>Are you an online addict? The dictionary doesn't have a definition for it just yet, but if it were to exist, I suspect it would look something like this:<br /><br />Internet addict (n): 1. One whose hand has molded to fit the contour of the computer mouse; 2. One who feels energized by the glow of a computer screen in much the same way a fresh cup of coffee makes most people feel in the morning; 3. One who dreads going to sleep because he or she is unable to go online for eight hours.<br /><br />Is this you? Do you hate the fact that your job gets in the way of your Internet activity? Perhaps you don't let that stop you from surfing the Web during the day and you pray the boss won't catch you. Whatever the situation may be, you might be better off in a different job. Say, a job where you're paid for your online addiction.<br /><br />Maybe you need help weaning yourself off of the computer, but until your friends and family stage an intervention, you should consider one of these Webtastic jobs:<br /><br />Branding consultant<br />Branding is a buzzword that's worked its way into the permanent lexicon. Companies, organizations and even individuals want to have a brand -- an identity that customers instantly recognize and respond to positively. Much of that branding is formed online, via ad campaigns, press and customer interaction. Branding consultants help companies identify what type of brand they want and then they help create it and keep it consistent through all outlets. They know the likes and dislikes of their target audience, so they try to be in front of them as much as possible to get exposure and gauge their reactions. The placement of banner ads, the spread of viral videos and other places you see a company's advertisements are the results of branding consultants' efforts.<br /><br />Public relations director<br />The world of PR is busy and ever-changing. In fact, what you do as a public relations specialist or director depends on the organization in which you work. What is the same everywhere is the need to monitor what type of media attention you're getting and employ damage control if necessary. Directors give interviews online, in print, on radio and on TV to speak on the company's behalf. They stay on message so that the company presents a unified, cohesive voice at all times. Directors also monitor what publications and critics, both online and offline, are saying about the company and are prepared to respond to all inquiries that might come their way.<br /><br />Recruiter<br />The Internet has been changing industries for well over a decade now, as most people recognize. Recruiting has also experienced a shift, mostly due to networking sites. Sites where people can post their education history, work experience and skills are ripe for recruiters who need to find new talent. By logging on to a social network, they have access to thousands of potential employees at the click of their mouse. Of course, good recruiters want the right candidate, so they spend hours scouring different networks to find the most qualified individuals.<br /><br />Social media consultant<br />Social media are still relatively new in the business world, as is this position. In some companies, a social media consultant is a busy, high-level job. In others it's a part-time gig suited for an intern. What you can be certain of is the need to find new ways to engage customers online. Companies need someone to set up and maintain accounts on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and any other social media site that pops up. The social media consultant might work for a public relations director or alongside a branding consultant. Whatever the case, this person need to keep the content fresh, monitor user feedback and create a persona for the company -- all through the click of a mouse.<br /><br />User operations analyst<br />What one thing do advertisers and site owners want to know more than anything else? How online users behave. The pages they visit, how far they scroll down a page, how many clicks they are willing to make to find information, and anything else that gives insight into how users navigate a site. User operations analysts monitor how users interact with the site and they also answer users' questions or listen to their feedback to see what they want in a site. The analysts then share their information with the site owner.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

5 Jobs for Internet Addicts

Are you an online addict? The dictionary doesn't have a definition for it just yet, but if it were to exist, I suspect it would look som...

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20 Jobs That Don't Require Degrees but Pay Big Salaries

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/fh/ar5b3fh793ny27205yfh.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/fh/ar5b3fh793ny27205yfh.gif" /></a><br /></div>Higher education isn't for everyone, and people have a variety of paths to choose from once they graduate from high school. They might know from the start that they want to go straight to the professional world. Other new graduates often decide to try college for a semester to see how it goes and then realize it's not for them.<br /><br />While the decision to pursue a degree or to enter the work force is fraught with pros and cons, earning a lot of money isn't. Not that money means everything, but wouldn't we all like to see some bigger numbers on our next paycheck? You can find jobs in many industries that don't require formal degrees, but you still need relevant experience, skills and possibly other training, depending on the position.<br /><br />If you're in the market for a job that doesn't require a degree but does come with a nice salary, here are 20 jobs to consider and their average annual salary:<br /><br />1. Aides supervisor $60,652*<br />Aides supervisors typically supervise home-health aides, monitoring quality of care and setting work schedules. <br /><br />2. Assembly supervisor $59,926<br />Assembly supervisors oversee workers who put together products by using power tools or other dangerous equipment.<br /><br />3. Assistant site manager $86,584<br />At a construction site, assistant site managers report to head site managers and plan, direct and coordinate the necessary tasks to complete that day's activities.<br /><br />4. Automobile service station manager $81,793<br />The manager draws up guidelines for gas stations and automotive repair shops and decides on hours of operation, assigns job duties and sets prices for services and products.<br /><br />5. Cable supervisor $71,826<br />Cable supervisors monitor workers who install, maintain and repair cables, and also perform related services.<br /><br />6. Carpenter supervisor $70,565<br />Carpenter supervisors oversee carpentry work on a specified project to ensure that workers are on schedule and executing plans accordingly. The supervisor also performs some of the carpentry duties if time permits.<br /><br />7. Chemical supervisor $67,114<br />Chemical supervisors oversee workers who make chemical products, which involves handling dangerous substances and following strict guidelines.<br /><br />8. Construction equipment operator $50,783<br />These operators are in charge of the large tools and equipment used during construction projects and they also inspect the equipment for safety and performance issues.<br /><br />9. Credit and collection supervisor $61,387<br />Credit and collection supervisors manage employees who calculate credit risks and collections, and they sometimes review client credit history to grant or deny extensions of credit.<br /><br />10. Data control supervisor $61,118<br />Data control supervisors manage data entry workers and are responsible for the completion and accuracy of that work. On occasion they help with assignments.<br /><br />11. Flight service manager $67,766<br />Airlines hire flight service managers to ensure that flight attendants adhere to personal appearance and preflight requirements. They also compile flight reports.<br /><br />12. Gas plant operator $64,198<br />Pipelines that produce and transport gas need to stay at certain pressures to function safely, and that's what these workers do.<br /><br />13. Home care aide supervisor $66,244<br />Home care aides assist homebound patients with daily activities and some rehabilitation exercises, and the supervisor ensures that all patients are being taken care of properly by their aides.<br /><br />14. Housekeeping manager of a medical facility $60,584<br />In a medical facility, the housekeeping manager sets the schedules and tasks for his or her team. Housekeeping duties vary depending on the type of medical facility, but managers must work with other hospital staff to ensure they are following health and safety guidelines.<br /><br />15. Lead carpenter $68,616<br />Lead carpenters ensure that construction projects are completed on time and correctly, and they perform some of the labor themselves.<br /><br />16. Locomotive engineer $70,116<br />Locomotive engineers drive electric, diesel-electric or gas-turbine electric trains that transport passengers or freight.<br /><br />17. Margin department supervisor $87,745<br />Margin department supervisors manage customer credit-card accounts for a company, and one of their principal duties is to approve or deny credit to customers.<br /><br />18. Painting supervisor $62,211<br />Painting supervisors monitor all painting activities involved in a particular job. They ensure paint is mixed properly and surfaces are prepared correctly, and they apply decorative or protective finishes when needed.<br /><br />19. Payroll supervisor $63,626<br />These supervisors oversee payroll employees to ensure that all pay calculations follow company policy, government regulations and tax codes.<br /><br />20. Route sales manager $65,771<br />Product and service delivery teams have to achieve goals pertaining to customer satisfaction, efficiency and personal performance. The route sales manager monitors their work and keeps them on track to achieve their objectives.<br /><br />*Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com, powered by SalaryExpert.com<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

20 Jobs That Don't Require Degrees but Pay Big Salaries

Higher education isn't for everyone, and people have a variety of paths to choose from once they graduate from high school. They might k...

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10 Jobs That Aren't Your Typical 9-to-5

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/sp/ar5b7y36cz35nry6hwsp.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/sp/ar5b7y36cz35nry6hwsp.gif" /></a><br /></div><br />A strict schedule where you clock in at 9 a.m. and clock out at 5 p.m. is ideal for some professionals. You can schedule events easily when you know that you're busy for only those eight hours.<br /><br />Not everyone can do that or even wants to. Routine doesn't sit well with some people who like a little variety in their lives. For other people, that particular eight-hour block of time conflicts with other plans. School, family obligations and part-time jobs often mean working 9 to 5 is impossible. Of course, just because these jobs have different hours than most others, don't think they're easy jobs.<br /><br />If you'd prefer to have a schedule that offers different hours, here are 10 jobs to consider:<br /><br />1. Chefs and bakers<br />You might not eat lunch until noon, but someone had to start preparing it long before you sat down. Chefs get up early to get the freshest ingredients from local markets and to start chopping vegetables and marinating dishes so they'll be ready for you. Bakers also need time to make all those delicious baked goods you scarf down in a few seconds. While you were still snoozing, a baker was making those pastries you picked up on the way to work. The next time you pass by a restaurant or bakery that is closed in the middle of the day, realize that they were working long before you were.<br /><br />2. Construction workers<br />Construction work is tough for many reasons, one being the weather. Imagine wearing protective gear while building a skyscraper on a hot summer afternoon. To avoid spending their entire day in dangerous heat, construction crews often start working before the sun rises so they can be done early. It's safer for them and means they're heading home before most 9-to-5 workers call it a day.<br /><br />3. Emergency room nurses<br />You can't schedule an emergency, so we're glad ERs are open around the clock all year long. Naturally, no single nurse can cover every shift alone -- and they're often long shifts -- so someone needs to be there during the day, late at night and in the morning.<br /><br />4. Firefighters<br />Fires don't just occur during normal business hours. Firefighters need to be available 24 hours a day, so they have different shifts to ensure someone is ready to help out when a call comes. Certain departments have schedules that require firefighters to work for a certain set of days but then be off for the following three days. You're still working a lot of hours but you're not sticking to a standard workday.<br /><br />5. Hair stylists<br />Hair stylists need to be available to clients when it's convenient for them, and not everyone can sneak away for an hour or two during the day to get a haircut. And you probably don't want a groggy stylist holding a pair of scissors at 6 a.m. just so you can get an appointment before work. That's why many salons don't open until late morning but then stay open until late evening. As a result, they're working when many other people aren't, so you can make an appointment.<br /><br />6. News reporters<br />The news might last only 30 minutes, but a lot of work goes into those stories. The reporters you see on morning shows get up at absurdly early hours just to be able to give you a story while you get ready for work. The reporters on the evening news when you get home were gathering information all day while you were at work.<br /><br />7. Pilots<br />Try to imagine how difficult traveling would be if you could fly only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Not only are pilots flying planes at various hours, they're also crossing time zones and datelines on flights that can go well beyond eight hours.<br /><br />8. Professors<br />Some professors teach only day courses, so their workday might not look that different from yours. But others teach in the evenings as well, so they might have a six-hour gap between their morning class for undergraduates and their evening class for grad students. Plus, grading papers and holding office hours mean work well beyond the hours they spend in a classroom.<br /><br />9. Retail sales clerks<br />When you buy clothes, groceries or even a car, you probably don't do it during the middle of a workday. Retail salespeople work evenings and weekends so you can buy what you need without having to leave the office.<br /><br />10. Security guards<br />When everyone leaves their 9-to-5 jobs, someone has to make sure the office is secure all night. Security guards patrol the grounds to ensure that no one gets in the building and they alert the police if something goes wrong. Of course, you can find security guards at banks and stores that are open only during standard business hours, too.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

10 Jobs That Aren't Your Typical 9-to-5

A strict schedule where you clock in at 9 a.m. and clock out at 5 p.m. is ideal for some professionals. You can schedule events easily when ...

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Should You Fake Your Job References?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gg/ar5c5hz68jflmshfflgg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gg/ar5c5hz68jflmshfflgg.gif" /></a><br /></div>Every day, William Schmidt gives job seekers with a not-so-great job history, a gap on their résumé, or even a criminal record, a second chance. How does he do it? He fabricates job references to cover up their sordid pasts.<br /><br />Schmidt is the founder of CareerExcuse.com, a Web site that says it will fill any gap on your résumé by acting as your past employer. It will go as far as creating a new company with an accompanying phone number, logo, Web site and LinkedIn profile. He says the site is designed to "help our subscribers meet the needs of the modern day job market."<br /><br />"Many of our subscribers tell me how a bad reference from a previous employer is akin to having a criminal record and is preventing them from providing for their family. All they ask is for a second chance," Schmidt says.<br /><br />While Schmidt feels good about the service he provides for job seekers, naturally, not everyone shares his opinion. After all, not only is it unethical to lie about anything on your job application, but some argue that it puts those who have legitimate references at an unfair disadvantage.<br /><br />"It's like using a professional photographer, who helps you look your best, versus using someone else's photo. One is enhancing your appearance, while the other is blatant misrepresentation," says David Wright, author of "Get a Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves." "People do make mistakes and bad choices. Winners learn from the mistakes while losers try to cover them up, hide them, or keep making the same mistakes over and over while expecting different results."<br /><br />Is the economy to blame?<br />Many people can agree that finding a job today is difficult and not having anyone in your corner to toot your horn could be detrimental. Schmidt said he got the idea for his company after perusing posts on Twitter, where he said he saw many users asking strangers for references.<br /><br />"We understand that there are over 12 million workers who have been fired or let go from former employers in the last eight years. With six applicants for every job today, anyone with a blemish in their career can be left out," Schmidt says.<br /><br />Lauren Milligan, résumé expert and job coach for ResuMAYDAY, says that it's sad that anyone would think they had to fake their job references, but she can see how the poor economy could lead to making desperate choices.<br /><br />"If a candidate was previously turned down because of a lack of reference, that otherwise honest person may decide to unethically stack the deck in his or her favor," she says. "It's kind of pathetic that anyone would have to [use a service for a reference], but perhaps it could be that 'rock bottom' that turns around bad behavior."<br /><br />Is it worth it?<br />Although many job seekers may feel that they need to use a fake reference because they were fired, or need to cover a gap in their employment history. Experts say that paying someone money to do that for you is likely a waste -- especially since many employers ignore the references you give them anyway.<br /><br />"Having consulted on hundreds of hires, I don't care about the three personal references the candidate has given. Anyone can find three people that will swear they can turn water into wine," says Barry Maher, career consultant and owner of Barry Maher & Associates. "I check everything else I can. And not just the last job, which may be a service that will vouch for them, but the job before that and the one before that, all the way down the line." <br /><br />Checking references all the way down the line has also become much easier with the advent of social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, which provide a place for you to list your employment history. Employers aren't stupid -- if a few things don't match up, they'll catch on pretty quickly.<br /><br />"The good thing about social networking is that the world has become a much smaller, accessible place. The bad thing about social networking is that the world has become a much smaller, accessible place," Milligan says. "Within a few minutes, I believe that anyone with a mid-level of expertise in LinkedIn or Facebook (combined with an elementary-level [Internet] search) could identify fake information. Hiring mistakes are so costly; due diligence can really pay off in a company's recruiting process."<br /><br />And while employers cross-reference information that candidates provide them, including references, services like CareerExcuse.com have an answer for that, too.<br /><br />"CareerExcuse.com uses [social networks] to our advantage," Schmidt says. "As a matter of fact, it is the Internet and the reliance of the Internet by human resource managers that make our services work so successfully."<br /><br />Consequences of your actions<br />Every action has a reaction, including providing a fake job reference to a potential employer. Although you may not get caught, you'll likely have to deal with trying to cover up your lies and forever worrying about if you'll get caught.<br /><br />"Liars are always going to use lies to try and put themselves at an advantage over honest people," Wright says. "This may be effective in the short run, but over time, honesty wins out because eventually lies do get found out, and liars are exposed for who they really are. As in a great quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln: 'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.'"<br /><br />The truth will set you free<br />If you feel the need to use a fake job reference, try these three tips from our experts instead:<br /><br />1. Turn your negatives into positives<br />"Nothing builds credibility like exposing your own negatives. You can turn them into positives, selling points, even bragging points," Maher says. He gives the example of Clyde Thompson, who "provided us with all the reasons why we may not want to hire him; all the ones that we probably would have brought up on our own once he was out of the room, and a few more we might never have come up. Clyde presented his unemployability in a light made it appear that he'd be a more reliable employee. And his honesty gained him a massive amount of credibility."<br /><br />2. Don't give up<br />Before giving up and resigning to having no references, Milligan suggests scouring LinkedIn and Facebook to try and reconnect with any former colleagues. Or, consider if you've volunteered anywhere, played on a sports team or been a member of industry associations. Reach out to peers from these organizations for a reference.<br /><br />"References don't only have to come from supervisors or co-workers," she says. "Perhaps company clients or vendors would have a few good things to say about you."<br /><br />If you still can't find anyone to give you reference by the time an employer asks for one, Milligan suggests saying, "Unbelievably, I wasn't able to connect with any of my former supervisors or co-workers after ABC Company shut down unexpectedly. Thanks to social networking, I'm in the process of trying to find people, but it just hasn't panned out yet. In lieu of that, I would assure you that I wouldn't have been able to achieve (insert career success here) if I wasn't good at my job and I fully expect to create more successes like that one, for you."<br /><br />3. Tackle the issue head-on<br />Instead of trying to sweep the issue under the rug, be the first one to address it, Wright suggests. <br /><br />"If you know you've got something bad that would probably show up on a background check, it can help to be proactive, particularly when you've established some degree of rapport with the hiring manager," he suggests. "Tell them that you want to be up front with them -- you made a mistake in the past and they'll probably find out anyway, but you'd rather them hear it from you first. By being proactive, you have the opportunity to position it better as well, emphasizing your strengths or how you overcame that experience."<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

Should You Fake Your Job References?

Every day, William Schmidt gives job seekers with a not-so-great job history, a gap on their résumé, or even a criminal record, a second cha...

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Today's Best and Worst Cities for Jobs

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/m5/ar5d6qy63k1jnvhxdwm5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/m5/ar5d6qy63k1jnvhxdwm5.gif" /></a><br /></div>Last fall, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession was "very likely over" -- at least by the numbers -- and the United States had moved into a period of recovery. <br /><br />That was September. Most job seekers, especially the 5.9 million long-term unemployed workers who have been out of work for six months or more, are still waiting for that renewal.<br /><br />The national unemployment rate in October was 9.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.1 percent a year earlier. Fifteen metro areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15 percent, while 13 others registered rates below 5 percent. Overall, 138 areas recorded unemployment rates above the U.S. average, 229 areas reported rates below it, and 5 areas had the same rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. <br /><br />But the unemployment rate is a lag indicator. Looking at other BLS figures, there are signs that the economy is healing. Many U.S. metros experienced some -- albeit small -- job growth from the period of July 2009-October 2009 (most recent data available at press time).<br /><br />According to seasonally adjusted data from the BLS, out of the largest 281 metros in the United States, 77 cities added jobs the July-October 2009 period. Eleven metros saw no change in the number of employed persons; however, another 193 metros saw declines in jobs.<br /><br />The best...<br /><br />Of those 77 cities whose employment increased from July-October 2009, here are 19 that saw growth by 1 percent or more.<br /><br />Merced, Calif.<br />No. of employed in July: 55,200<br />No. of employed in October: 56,700<br />Percent change: +2.7<br /><br />Morgantown, W.Va.<br />No. of employed in July: 62,800<br />No. of employed in October: 64,300<br />Percent change: +2.4<br /><br />Dubuque, Iowa<br />No. of employed in July: 53,200<br />No. of employed in October: 54,300<br />Percent change: +2.1<br /><br />Wilmington, N.C.<br />No. of employed in July: 138,400<br />No. of employed in October: 141,300<br />Percent change: +2.1<br /><br />Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, N.J.<br />No. of employed in July: 60,200<br />No. of employed in October: 61,400<br />Percent change: +2<br /><br />Mansfield, Ohio<br />No. of employed in July: 53,800<br />No. of employed in October: 54,900<br />Percent change: +2<br /><br />Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C.<br />No. of employed in July: 798,200<br />No. of employed in October: 810,500<br />Percent change: +1.5<br /><br />Portsmouth, N.H.-Maine<br />No. of employed in July: 53,900<br />No. of employed in October: 54,600<br />Percent change: +1.3<br /><br />Raleigh-Cary, N.C.<br />No. of employed in July: 500,400<br />No. of employed in October: 506,700<br />Percent change: +1.3<br /><br />Iowa City, Iowa<br />No. of employed in July: 91,000<br />No. of employed in October: 92,100<br />Percent change: +1.2<br /><br />Springfield, Ohio<br />No. of employed in July: 50,400<br />No. of employed in October: 51,000<br />Percent change: +1.2<br /><br />Fresno, Calif.<br />No. of employed in July: 289,900<br />No. of employed in October: 293,100<br />Percent change: +1.1<br /><br />Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, Calif.<br />No. of employed in July: 167,700<br />No. of employed in October: 169,600<br />Percent change: +1.1<br /><br />Rockford, Ill.<br />No. of employed in July: 152,00<br />No. of employed in October: 153,700<br />Percent change: +1.1<br /><br />Glens Falls, N.Y. <br />No. of employed in July: 52,600<br />No. of employed in October: 53,200<br />Percent change: +1.1<br /><br />Athens-Clarke County, Ga. <br />No. of employed in July: 83,700<br />No. of employed in October: 84.5<br />Percent change: +1<br /><br />Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa<br />No. of employed in July: 87,300<br />No. of employed in October: 88,200<br />Percent change: +1<br /><br />Johnson City, Tenn.<br />No. of employed in July: 79,000<br />No. of employed in October: 79,800<br />Percent change: +1<br /><br />Spokane, Wash.<br />No. of employed in July: 210,100<br />No. of employed in October: 212,200<br />Percent change: +1<br /><br />And the worst<br /><br />There were also 193 metros that experienced declines in jobs from July-October 2009. Here are the 15 that had the greatest losses.<br /><br />Greenville, N.C.<br />No. of employed in July: 76,400<br />No. of employed in October: 74,900<br />Percent change: -2<br /><br />Columbus, Ga.-Ala.<br />No. of employed in July: 120,200<br />No. of employed in October: 117,700<br />Percent change: -2.1<br /><br />Dalton, Ga.<br />No. of employed in July: 68,000<br />No. of employed in October: 66,600<br />Percent change: -2.1<br /><br />Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C.<br />No. of employed in July: 119,400<br />No. of employed in October: 116,800<br />Percent change: -2.2<br /><br />Lafayette, Ind.<br />No. of employed in July: 96,700<br />No. of employed in October: 94,500<br />Percent change: -2.3<br /><br />Bellingham, Wash.<br />No. of employed in July: 82,200<br />No. of employed in October: 80,300<br />Percent change: -2.3<br /><br />Greeley, Colo.<br />No. of employed in July: 79,700<br />No. of employed in October: 77,800<br />Percent change: -2.4<br /><br />Barnstable Town, Mass.<br />No. of employed in July: 96,000<br />No. of employed in October: 93,700<br />Percent change: -2.4<br /><br />St. George, Utah<br />No. of employed in July: 49,600<br />No. of employed in October: 48,400<br />Percent change: -2.4<br /><br />Gainesville, Ga.<br />No. of employed in July: 75,300<br />No. of employed in October: 73,400<br />Percent change: -2.5<br /><br />Lima, Ohio<br />No. of employed in July: 53,600<br />No. of employed in October: 52,200<br />Percent change: -2.6<br /><br />Rochester-Dover, N.H.-Maine<br />No. of employed in July: 58,200<br />No. of employed in October: 56,400<br />Percent change: -3.1<br /><br />Yuma, Ariz.<br />No. of employed in July: 51,500<br />No. of employed in October: 49,800<br />Percent change: -3.3<br /><br />Missoula, Mont.<br />No. of employed in July: 55,100<br />No. of employed in October: 52,800<br />Percent change: -4.2<br /><br />Grand Junction, Colo.<br />No. of employed in July: 64,800<br />No. of employed in October: 61,400<br />Percent change: -5.2<br /><br />By Kate Lorenz editor for CareerBuilder.com and its job-seeker blog, www.TheWorkBuzz.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow CareerBuilder on Twitter www.twitter.com/CBforjobseekers.<br /><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><div><a expr:addthis:title='data:post.title' expr:addthis:url='data:post.url' class='addthis_button'><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border:0" width="125"/></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink"></script></div><!-- AddThis Button END -->

Today's Best and Worst Cities for Jobs

Last fall, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession was "very likely over" -- at least by the numbers -- and the U...

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Ateliers CV, Lettre de motivation, Préparation à l'entretien 2014

<BR><br />Les nouvelles sessions des ateliers CV, "Lettre de motivation" et "Préparation à l'entretien" spécifiques de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans organisés en partenariat avec l'AFEC reprendront le 11 janvier 2014 à la Maison de l'Emploi.<br /><br />Tous les ateliers sont maintenus les mêmes jours aux mêmes horaires.<br /><br /><strong>Planning des ateliers : <ul><br /><li>CV : mardi matin et mercredi après-midi.<br /><br /><li>Lettre de motivation : mardi après-midi.<br /><br /><li>Préparation à l'entretien : jeudi après-midi.</li></ul></strong><br /><br />En fonction des besoins et sur demande de tout lieu d'accueil du territoire de la Maison de l'Emploi, ces ateliers collectifs (2 à 4 personnes) peuvent être organisés en dehors de la Maison de l'Emploi.<br /><br />Pour tout renseignement complémentaire, contacter la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans : 02 38 24 18 03 ou <a href="mailto:accueil@news-these-days.fr">accueil@news-these-days.fr</a><br /><BR>

Ateliers CV, Lettre de motivation, Préparation à l'entretien 2014

Les nouvelles sessions des ateliers CV, "Lettre de motivation" et "Préparation à l'entretien" spécifiques de la Mais...

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Silver Angel

We worshiped at St. Timothy's on Christmas Eve. It was a warmly human service, a cozy service, in a beautifully decorated church. It was the first time Linda and I have sat together in church on Chrismas Eve in many, many years. We were blessed by the sights and sounds of Christmas. They enfleshed for us and revealed to us the Word of grace in the our story.<br /><br />Then when we got home, there was an angel at our door. On our door actually. A small silver Christmas tree ornament angel with a crystal heart. She went immediately to our kitchy tree. Our secret Santa or Santas made this a lovely Advent. And yes, the white plastic tree will be up again next year.

Silver Angel

We worshiped at St. Timothy's on Christmas Eve. It was a warmly human service, a cozy service, in a beautifully decorated church. It was...

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I have the power

Since I returned from Edmonton over a week ago I started my late night binging. I've been like an addict that has lapsed and returned to her drug. Sneaking, quietly into the kitchen around midnight, and eating whatever I could find. I've disgusted myself.<br /><br />During the day I'm the perfect Weight Watcher. Eating very healthy, working out two hours a day of intense exercise. At night I become a different person. It's a sickness.<br /><br />Last night I was reading the latest issue of US Weekly. I really bought it because Elin and Tiger were on the cover. I can't help it but I'm fascinated by their story. The perfect woman with the perfect face and perfect body, with two perfect children married to what we all thought was the perfect man. As sordid as the story is, I can't stop reading about it.<br /><br />I digress. Also on the front cover is the Biggest Loser at-home winner, Rebecca Meyer. She went from 279 pounds to 140 pounds. At the start of the article the journalist ask Rebecca "How do you feel?" After saying how fantastic she feels she said something that really struck a nerve with me. She said:<br /><br /><strong>"I realized The Biggest Loser wasn't going to magically "fix" me. They were going to give me the tools to help me change my life forever, but I have the power. I just had to wrap my head around it and do it myself."</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />I read that one paragraph several times. This was me! Weight Watchers has given me the tools, but no one is going to magically fix me. It's all up to me. I have the power. It's in my control what I eat.<br /><br />There are a lot of things in my life I don't have the power to control. I can't control my husband (sure, I try, but that's a losing battle). If he's in a bad mood or grumpy, I can't change him (yes, I try, sometimes it works, sometimes not). I can't control our dark, wet weather here in Seattle. It's going to rain and be cold and dark no matter how much I prefer warmth and sunshine. I can't control my job, what projects I get assigned to work on. I'm somewhat powerless in many areas of my life.<br /><br />The one thing I do have power over is what I eat. I have the power for that one facet of my life. It seems so clear to me now. It's literally like a light bulb went off in my head.<br /><br />I didn't binge last night. The first night in eight nights. I feel enlightened, like suddenly I "get it".<br /><br />I have the power. That's my new mantra.

I have the power

Since I returned from Edmonton over a week ago I started my late night binging. I've been like an addict that has lapsed and returned to...

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The Christian Text In A New World Context

I was having dinner with a group of Episcopal Church leaders discussing “the emergent church” and a bold new proposal to ordain priests for the emergent church with minimal preparation, trusting they would pick up priesthood OJT. I said nothing, but it gave me pause to hear this idea, knowing we tried it in Nevada and other Total Ministry dioceses, sometimes with unfortunate results. In fact, only a couple of conventions ago, the church repealed Canon 9 to get away from that experiment. We are now in the midst of upgrading the training for all orders of ministry so it surprised me to hear that training for priesthood was at risk again. (I am not saying the training has to be conventional seminary education. We are expanding local training, but still requiring that training comes before ordination.)<br /><br /> The conversation then took an interesting turn, the turn that makes this subject blog worthy, because there was a young man at the table – a college student. The older leaders asked his view. He said relaxing the training for clergy was irrelevant. He saw no reason for the church to have ordained people anymore than there was any need for the church to have buildings. (It is an axiom of the emergent church movement that the church should not have buildings.) This led to the leaders asking how he would envision a service led by a lay person in a secular building. The young man did not think church services were such a good idea either. His vision is that the lay minister would hang out at a bar with people and if religion came up naturally in the conversation, then the minister would participate in that conversation.<br /><br /> I suddenly got a vision of the post-modern church: no sacred space; no clergy; untrained laity; no prayers; no hymns; no scripture. I wondered if the bar where religion might come up in the conversation naturally would have a Sunday School area for the children. I am entirely for extending the gospel message into all sorts of settings in all sorts of ways, but I was struck by the idea that so much of the faith that has saved my life might be erased as no longer relevant to people now.<br /><br /> I remembered when I was that college student’s age, I was not a Christian. I did not attend worship services either. But when driving through central Texas – which I did a lot back then – I would without fail stop at an old Lutheran church near a German village. It was always unlocked. I would just go in and look at the stained glass windows and cult objects I did not even understand, and I felt the holiness. What if they had sold that building and become emergent, meeting in a bar, talking about religion if it came up naturally?<br /><br /> I remember when I was his age, and I would go home to East Texas, I would visit Fr. Allen, a pious old Episcopal priest who never said anything to convert me, but who was a holy man and dressed the part so I could recognize him as a personal representative of something much larger and older than himself. What if St. James, Texarkana had decided they did not need any hierarchical professional clergy. Fr. Allen would not have been there for me, teaching me gospel without saying a word, sharing grace just by listening.<br /><br /> In his book, The Cross In Our Context, Douglass John Hall asks the question whether Christianity will survive the 21st Century, noting that some respectable voices question whether Christianity made it into the 21st Century. Christendom, the era when being Christian was a social and cultural norm, is certainly long dead in most places. It may have never reached us here in Nevada. But Christianity is another matter. Is there an authentic Christian voice crying in our wilderness? Is there a Christian word that can be spoken? Is there a Christian word that can be heard? “Does a tree falling in an uninhabited forest . . . ?”<br /><br /> Hall’s premise is that Christians engage the world. “Unlike other religions that draw their converts away from this world, a faith informed by this (Christian) tradition . . . constrains the community of discipleship to enter into its historical situation with a new kind of openness, attentiveness and compassion.” We must share our faith with the world “by word and deed.”<br /><br /> This raises the perpetually recurring issue for us, which Hall speaks of as text and context. We have a text – not just the Bible and the Prayer Book, but a whole tradition of belief and practice. We also have a context – the world around us. Internationally, that is post-colonialism, the fearful conflicts among religions in Africa and the Near East, the post Cold War ascendancy of the United States and China, and to a lesser degree Iran. Closer to home, it is the secular materialism of American culture, in which all religious affiliation is in decline but we are becoming more religiously and ethnically pluralistic, a society in which the new convention is to be “very spiritual but not religious.” Can we be true to our text and engage with this context at the same time?<br /><br /> There has always been a tension between our text and any human context. It may be better when it is explicit as it is today. I have found it harder to make the gospel heard by anyone in a setting where conventional Christianity is the social norm than here where faith is countercultural. It is better shouting faith into the secular void than into the conventional Christian void. The oddness of the words makes people curious if they do not already think they know what they mean. But how shall we go about it? How shall we make the faith understood in our society?<br /><br /> I don’t have answers to that. But I feel pretty sure we have to tell the truth. I cannot expect everyone to connect to God the way I do, but I cannot pretend that my way isn’t my way. Can we be true to our text and engage our context? I desperately hope so. If we are not true to our text, we will not be engaging our context honestly. If we do not engage our context, then we will be false to our text which requires jus this engagement. Jesus called us to be “in the world, but not of the world.” That has never been easy.

The Christian Text In A New World Context

I was having dinner with a group of Episcopal Church leaders discussing “the emergent church” and a bold new proposal to ordain priests for ...

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Top 10 Tips for Your 2010 Résumé

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/9z/ar5c32w5xvzbcfw6kq9z.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/9z/ar5c32w5xvzbcfw6kq9z.gif" /></a><br /></div><br />"Out with the old, in with the new," isn't that what they always say? The same thing applies to your résumé. Chances are you applied for hundreds of jobs in 2009, only to be ignored or rejected. That means that something has to change. <br /><br />Last year, 25 percent of employers said that on average, they received more than 75 résumés for each open position; 42 percent received more than 50 résumés. In addition, 38 percent of employers last year said they spent one to two minutes reviewing a new résumé and 17 percent spent less than one minute.<br /><br />"Human resources managers serve on the front lines of a company's recruitment efforts and are often the gatekeepers of the interview process. Because they can receive a large volume of applications, you may only have a matter of seconds to make a lasting impression," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "You should always have a current résumé and portfolio ready to go because you never know what the next day will bring whether it's a weak or healthy economy."<br /><br />You want employers to see you differently this year. Here are 10 ways to get your résumé noticed in 2010:<br /><br />1. Start from scratch<br />A new year means a new résumé. Even though it might not sound like fun to rewrite your whole résumé (it probably won't be), give it a try. Obviously, if you didn't get any bites last year, something was a little off with your current résumé. Rearrange some sections, try a different format and use a different font. Just switch things up a little bit and see what happens.<br /><br />2. Use a different format<br />Many job seekers don't realize that there are different formats to use when writing a résumé. The most common form is chronological, which lists each job you've had in reverse sequential order, so you start with your most recent job first. This form doesn't work for all people, though. For example, if you've done a lot of job hopping in recent years or if you haven't had a job in a long time, a functional résumé is a better option.<br /><br />A functional résumé focuses on your skills versus your work experience. For this, you would list a pertinent skill for the job to which you're applying, followed by a list of accomplishments that demonstrate that skill. If you don't have relevant skills or a strong work history, you still have the option of using a combination résumé, which combines elements of both a functional and chronological format.<br /><br />For a combination résumé, you should list your applicable skills and the accomplishments that demonstrate each one. Below that, you'll list your work history, starting with your most current job and working backward, but you won't list your job description. Doing this allows you the chance to play up your skills while proving your solid work history.<br /><br />3. Ditch the empty words and vague phrases<br />Many job seekers fall prey to a common mistake that irks most employers: using cliché keywords. In a 2009 CareerBuilder survey, employers cited these common phrases as overused and often ignored by hiring managers:<br /><br />People person: 39 percent <br /><br />Go-getter: 38 percent <br /><br />Team player: 33 percent <br /><br />Hard-working: 29 percent <br /><br />Multi-tasker: 28 percent <br /><br />Self-starter: 27 percent <br /><br />Results or goal-oriented: 22 percent <br /><br />These words are just empty fillers that don't say anything about your achievements. For an accountant position, for example, keywords might include "accounts payable" or "month-end reporting" -- words that actually say something about what you can do. Look over your résumé and find where you have listed generic qualities about yourself and replace them with keywords that match the job to which you are applying. <br /><br />4. Make your achievements stand out<br />Job seekers often run into the problem of listing their job duties on their résumés, but not their accomplishments. Although your past duties are important, employers care more about your ability to produce results. Try separating your daily functions from your achievements by first listing your job duties in a paragraph format, and then incorporating a bulleted area below that entitled "key accomplishments" to list your successes. <br /><br />5. Quantify your accomplishments<br />Applicants often don't know the difference between quantifying results and just stating a job responsibility. A job responsibility is something that you do on a daily basis and a quantified achievement is the result of that responsibility. By quantifying results, you show employers what you can actually do for them. So, if your current résumé is a block of words and you don't have one numerical figure in there, whether it's dollars, percentages or comparative numbers, you need to make some revisions.<br /><br />6. Include a summary or objective<br />Including a summary on your résumé is one of those steps that many job seekers forget to take -- and if they do remember, they usually include the wrong information. Employers want to know if you're a good fit for their organization, so writing something like "To gain experience in X industry," doesn't say much about you, or what you can do for the employer. Your career summary should portray your experience and emphasize how it will help the prospective employer. It should be very specific and include explicit industry-related functions, quantifiable achievements or your areas of expertise.<br /><br />7. Fill in the gaps<br />Most people will tell you to wait to explain any gaps in your work history until you get to the interview. But, there's a good chance that you won't get that opportunity if there are gaps in the first place. If, for example, you were laid off at the beginning of 2008 and are still unemployed, try using the functional résumé format we explained earlier. Or, if you feel comfortable doing so, explain what you were doing during lapses between jobs. The employer will know you aren't trying to hide a sketchy past.<br /><br />8. Keep it simple<br />How many times do we have to tell you? Do not, by any means, format your résumé with crazy fonts, colors or print it on fluorescent paper. Find an uncommon, yet attractive and simple layout to catch the employer's eye, instead of his wastebasket. <br /><br />9. Double-check for the basics<br />Silly as it sounds, many people get so caught up in formatting and proofreading that they don't check for the most basic information, such as an e-mail address, phone number and permanent address. Double-check that your résumé has this information -- none of your hard work will pay off if no one can get a hold of you.<br /><br />10. Check for consistency<br />Take a look over last year's résumé and make sure there are no inconsistencies. If you decide to include periods at the end of your sentences, for example, make sure they are at the end of each one. If you chose to list your job duties, followed by an accomplishment in that duty, make sure you do so throughout your résumé. Use consistent fonts, sizes, bullets and other formatting options. Employers will notice your attention to detail and assume your work quality is of the same standard.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

Top 10 Tips for Your 2010 Résumé

"Out with the old, in with the new," isn't that what they always say? The same thing applies to your résumé. Chances are you a...

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Getting a grip

Yesterday's post was a sad one, one of my "woe is me, my life sucks" posts. Dawn was right when she said it sounded like depression. I was depressed and have been for months. Mild depression, not suicidal stuff, just a feeling that all is not right in my world. Some days are darker than others and yesterday was one of the darkest.<br /><br />This morning I woke up feeling a wee bit better about my life. It's really not quite as bad as I make it sound. It's not perfect by a long shot, but on the other hand, it could be a hell of a lot worse.<br /><br />Christmas always does this too me, makes me sad for the things and people I don't have in my life. I miss my mother a lot this time of year because she always made the holidays so special for me when I was a kid. My childhood Christmases are the stuff of a Norman Rockwell painting. It was perfect, or at least, that's how I remember it.<br /><br />This year I started early on the seasonal depression so by the time the Christmas season came around, I was in a pit of despair and self-pity. I credit a lot of my sadness to all the traveling I've done for work during the past four months. It was a strain on me, my health, my diet and exercise routine, as well as on my marriage.<br /><br />Today I see some light in my life, it's not all darkness. I have a feeling of optimism, like maybe I'll make it through this and everything will turn out okay.<br /><br />My husband and I are talking, laughing, joking around, almost back to our old life. The hateful and spiteful things we said to each other while in Edmonton are still between us, like a wedge trying to drive us apart. We're trying to get back to what we had and what we know we can have again. Marriage takes work, and neither one of us wants to give up on "us".<br /><br />Today I'm cleaning the house and then we're putting up the tree this afternoon. I'm actually looking forward to spending time with my husband. Something I haven't felt for several months.<br /><br />I also have plans to go to the gym, but limit my time there to one hour. The last two days I've gone for two full hours each day. I realize that's utterly ridiculous. No one should spend that much time working out every day unless they're a professional body builder. I just want to be healthy, not spend my life in a gym.<br /><br />I have a better grip on reality today. I feel more like me. The cloud of doom and gloom seems to have lifted somewhat, and I can actually say I feel a flicker of happiness. I just hope I can hold onto this ray of light.<br /><br />~Diana<br />175.4

Getting a grip

Yesterday's post was a sad one, one of my "woe is me, my life sucks" posts. Dawn was right when she said it sounded like depre...

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Nativity Theologizing

I grew up with a brand of Christianity that was heavily centered on Good Friday. We celebrated Christmas along with everyone else. But the meaning of Christmas was confused at best. It seemed like a necessary first step toward the cross which didn’t quite cohere with Joy To The World.<br /><br /> Decades later, now decades ago, I learned that the folks who first shaped the contours of orthodox Christian faith, especially St. Athanasius, the chief architect of the Nicene Creed, taught that the Incarnation was salvific in itself. Something happened in Bethlehem in 4 B.C.E. (or whatever year Jesus was actually born) that changed the relationship between God and humanity, even between Creator and Creation.<br /><br /> How that salvation worked was and still is hard for me to grasp. It is called “assumption.” In a mysterious way, when God assumes human nature, then human nature is sanctified, redeemed, made holy. That feels right to me even though I can’t explain it logically.<br /><br /> There is another way I have been thinking of Christmas as salvific that I can understand a little better. It goes like this: Being human is a precious and wonderful thing precisely because it is so brief an experience, so vulnerable, so frail, such a mix of joys and sorrow, virtues and vices, moral heroism and moral disaster. The beauty of being human is inseparable from the fragility of being human. I say this as one whose youthful pride and certainty are long gone and as one who has seen love at its tenderest in the hours of suffering and death, in the moments of contrition and forgiveness. Being human is insubstantial, ephemeral, fallible, and for those very failings is all the more to be cherished.<br /><br /> Yet the vulnerability of being human – physical, spiritual, and moral vulnerability – is so great that we cannot bear our human condition. It is just too hard. We need to be sustained now and ultimately redeemed by a God who is above all this, beyond “the changes and the chances” of this life. We need to be held by the Serene Center of the Universe, who was and is and ever will be. Our fragility can subsist only in God’s strength.<br /><br /> The problem is the immeasurable distance between God and us. The vastness, the incomprehensibility of Divine Majesty, the namelessness, imagelessness, unutterable wonder of God means God is beyond our reach. And we cannot climb up to God. All religion that purports to elevate us to God merely inflates our egos and thereby separates us all the farther from God.<br /><br /> It was therefore necessary for God to come to us. “Condescend” is a bad word now. But it used to have a good theological meaning -- “to come down to.” God came down to us. God joined us in the mix and muddle of human life. “For us and for our salvation, he sent his only and eternal son to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us.” And therein the basic shift happened and religion has never been the same.<br /><br /> Instead of our trying to climb up out of our human frailty to meet God in the Divine Serenity, God joins us in the stable of mortal human life. It is in this stable of human living that we meet God. It is here we find the seed of peace and joy. The meaning of our frailties – all of them, physical, moral, spiritual – is changed from the wall the separates us from God into the gate that opens our hearts to God. That is the miracle I celebrate at Christmas. However, you understand this Holy Season, I hope you will be touched by grace right where you live, that you will find a light in your darkness, and that you will experience the assurance of God’s love for you exactly as you are.

Nativity Theologizing

I grew up with a brand of Christianity that was heavily centered on Good Friday. We celebrated Christmas along with everyone else. But the m...

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Return Of The Mouse

Mid week the mouse arrived. It is a Christmas ornament -- yes a Christmas mouse wearing green and red trousers and a red sweater -- no doubt left on our door knob by the same people who left the white plastic Christmas tree and ealier ornaments.<br /><br />But this mouse looks familiar. See Night of Reepacheep, blog post May 21, 2009 -- the very mouse who bit my pinkie in Lake Logan, North Carolina last Spring. How much do these people actually know about me?

Return Of The Mouse

Mid week the mouse arrived. It is a Christmas ornament -- yes a Christmas mouse wearing green and red trousers and a red sweater -- no doubt...

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Trying to stay positive

Over the past several days I thought of a hundred things to write about but all the topics were downers. Each time I'd even think about writing a post I found myself spiraling down into a self-pity party.<br /><br />My Edmonton trip is over. Having my husband go with me was a huge mistake. Instead of making things better, it made me miserable. When I'm working in a new city away from home, I'm highly stressed. After a day of meeting new people, trouble shooting problems, making endless phone calls to my home office, the last thing I wanted to do is go out and have "fun". I just wanted to crawl to my hotel room and collapse.<br /><br />As a result of me not being fun, we had a huge fight while in Edmonton. Probably one of our all time worse fights in our 21 years of marriage. He left a day early to go home, which was fine with me. I couldn't handle the double stress of my day job and then my night job of being a loving wife.<br /><br />Even though it's been almost a week we're both still mentally bruised from the arguing. We both regret what happened, but what's done is done. We can't take back the hurtful, mean things we said to each other.<br /><br />Now we have the added stress of Christmas, the season of joy. Sorry, but I'm just not feeling it. I want to feel happy and peace on earth and all that other stuff I'm suppose to feel this time of year, but it's not happening.<br /><br />I'm on vacation for the next two weeks. We had plans to travel to Denver and Arkansas to see my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">husband's</span> family, but I think we're putting that on hold until after the new year. I can't bear the thought of getting on another plane. Maybe it's incredibly selfish of me but I need to stay home for a while.<br /><br />We even talked about spending Christmas apart, but we both know that would be the final nail in the coffin of our marriage so we both agreed we're not ready for something like that...since that would really be the end of us as a couple.<br /><br />So much for remaining positive. This is probably just about the most depressing post I've ever written.<br /><br />On the diet front, I'm hanging in there at 175.8. I was at the gym for two hours yesterday, getting back into the swing of things with the exercise. It felt good.<br /><br />My goal is to try and get to 170 by the end of 2009, which isn't too far from where I was on December 31, 2008 - 165.2. That means I'm up 10 pounds from a year ago.<br /><br />Never mind that I dropped down to 152 for a brief period during the past year so technically I'm up 20+ pounds. I just don't want to think about that right now.<br /><br />I'm going eat healthy for the rest of the year and hit the gym every day. That's my goal for the next two weeks. I'll set new goals for 2010, but right now I can't think that far into the future. I'm just trying to get through a day at a time....and stay positive (not doing so good with the positive crap).

Trying to stay positive

Over the past several days I thought of a hundred things to write about but all the topics were downers. Each time I'd even think about ...

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Planning de la semaine du 21 au 24 décembre 2009

<BR><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Permanences<br /></span></strong></h2><ul><br /><li>Le <strong>Conseil Général du Loiret</strong> sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans<br />- le lundi 21 décembre de 9h à 12h30<br />- le mardi 22 décembre de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h,<br />- le mercredi 23 décembre de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le jeudi 24 décembre de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de gestion</a></strong><br />- lundi 21 décembre de 13h30 à 17h</li></ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Ateliers</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>CV</strong> - mardi 22 décembre de 9h à 12h30<br /><br /><li><strong>Lettre de Motivation </strong>- mardi 22 décembre de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/07/atelier-situtilises-tu-trouves.html">Sit'Utilises tu trouves</a></strong> - jeudi 24 décembre de 10h à 12h</ul>

Planning de la semaine du 21 au 24 décembre 2009

Permanences Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 21 dé...

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America's Fastest-Growing Salaries

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hz/ar5c75g60ynzfxs1jfhz.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hz/ar5c75g60ynzfxs1jfhz.gif" /></a><br /></div>Money isn't everything in a career, but for many people, it's the driving force behind their decision to stay in a current job, search for a new one, or accept or decline a job offer.<br /><br />Looking for a job with an adequate salary is difficult. It depends on the current job market -- which today is not great -- where you live, your skill set, your experience level and, perhaps most importantly, your job duties. <br /><br />Here are 20 jobs projected to have high salary growth this year, according to data from CBSalary.com and SalaryExpert.com. The percentage listed for each occupation is the amount the salary increased compared to last year's salary. The list is based on an analysis of data from the Occupational Employment Statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and ongoing surveys conducted by Salary Expert.<br /><br />1. Oral pathologists study the nature, cause and development of diseases associated with mouth. <br />Current salary: $188,577 <br />Last year: $159,759<br />Percent increase: 6.83<br /><br />2. Social medical researchers conduct research for use in understanding social problems and for planning and carrying out social welfare programs.<br />Current salary: $80,151<br />Last year: $68,480<br />Increase: 6.65<br /><br />3. Pharmacologists conduct experiments to determine how drugs and other substances affect organ and tissues. <br />Current salary: $99,370 <br />Last year: $90,012 <br />Percent increase: 5.35 <br /><br /><br />4. Toxicologists research the toxic effects products and ingredients have on living organisms.<br />Current salary: $70,273 <br />Last year: $63,655<br />Percent increase: 5.35 <br /><br /><br />5. Vocational training teachers teach personal, social and professional skills that meet the needs, interest and abilities of disabled students. <br />Current salary: $57,401 <br />Last year: $52,982<br />Percent increase: 4.93<br /><br />6. Academic deans develop academic policies and programs for college or universities, as well as scheduling courses and making course recommendations for students. <br />Current salary: $100,771<br />Last year: $93,126 <br />Percent increase: 4.9<br /><br />7. Social psychologists diagnose and treat mental disorders; learning disabilities; and cognitive, behavioral and emotional problems using different types of therapies. <br />Current salary: $85, 766 <br />Last year: $79,272<br />Percent increase: 4.9<br /><br />8. Early childhood development teachers use activities to promote social, physical and intellectual growth for children in child development facilities. <br />Current salary: $37,072 <br />Last year: $34,418 <br />Percent increase: 4.8<br /><br />9. Insurance sales agents sell insurance of all kinds to new, prospective and current clients. <br />Current salary: $52,743 <br />Last year: $49,121<br />Percent increase: 4.73<br /><br />10. Credit representatives investigate customer complaints about service, billing or credit rating. They determine the accuracy of customer complaints and the company's responsibility for errors. <br />Current salary: $45,875<br />Last year: $43,092<br />Percent increase: 4.53<br /><br />11. Facilities managers oversee all things concerned with the operation, repair, maintenance and construction of facilities, equipment, buildings and grounds.<br />Current salary: $94,491<br />Last year: $89,262<br />Percent increase: 4.38<br /><br />12. Software quality assurance testers develop and maintain quality assurance testing methods and systems to make sure computer software applications work correctly. <br />Current salary: $75,129<br />Last year: $71,481<br />Percent increase: 4.23<br /><br />13. Financial securities clerks perform duties involving computing and recording data on security transactions. <br />Current salary: $41,464<br />Last year: $39,459<br />Percent increase: 4.2<br /><br />14. Food and beverage order clerks receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads or services, as well as informing customers of payment information and preparing contracts. <br />Current salary: $29,607<br />Last year: $28,213<br />Percent increase: 4.18<br /><br />15. Computer network analysts investigate and control the technical architecture of local area networks and wide area networks, in addition to recommending telecommunications and data network systems. <br />Current salary: $86,402<br />Last year: $82,809<br />Percent increase: 4.05<br /><br />16. Purchasing directors plan and direct the purchase of goods and services, and oversee employees who buy and grade merchandise or services offered for sale. They also develop and implement purchasing policies, procedures and guidelines. <br />Current salary: $126,021<br />Last year: $120,850<br />Percent increase: 4.03<br /><br />17. Public accountants perform general accounting, auditing, tax and consulting activities for their clients, which vary from corporations or governments to nonprofit organizations or individuals.<br />Current salary: $72,607<br />Last year: $69,670<br />Percent increase: 4<br /><br />18. Accounts receivable managers ensure an accurate accounts receivable system, tracing and reconciling errors, correcting billing records, processing final bills, collecting accounts due, adjusting customer claims and more. <br />Current salary: $78,966<br />Last year: $75,797<br />Percent increase: 4<br /><br />19. Government fire marshals determine causes of fires and explosions, especially when arson or other criminal acts are suspected, and enforce fire laws.<br />Current salary: $60,775<br />Last year: $58,336<br />Percent increase: 4<br /><br />20. Retail store managers supervise sales workers in a retail establishment or department, and may perform management duties like purchasing, budgeting and accounting. <br />Current salary: $66,966<br />Last year: $64,998<br />Percent increase: 2.9<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

America's Fastest-Growing Salaries

Money isn't everything in a career, but for many people, it's the driving force behind their decision to stay in a current job, sear...

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Icons Or Golden Calves

I just read a great blog post reviewing Martin Thornton's The Rock And The River. I have not read the book, but the blog post is great. http:/en.wordpress.com/tag/holisticregular-life/<br /><br />Thornton's point seems to be that the Christian popularizers today attack ideas that they represent as orthodox Christianity. They are not orthodox. As the blog puts it, they are not icons but golden calves. The result is too many of us take the theologically light arguments of the popularizers as the only alternative to fundamentalism. They confuse fundamentalism with the orthodox teachings of the Christian tradition and so lose the spiritual depth of centuries.<br /><br />Thank you Dean Nick Knisley for posting a link to this review on your FB page.

Icons Or Golden Calves

I just read a great blog post reviewing Martin Thornton's The Rock And The River. I have not read the book, but the blog post is great. ...

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The Conspiracy Widens

The tin box came by mail to my office all the way from Carson City. It contained two red dice Christmas ornaments. They will go on the white plastic tree tonight.<br /><br />The tree itself and the other ornaments were a local job. Someone rang the doorbell and ran away. But this is from afar. The plot thickens as the conspiracy widens. Or does it?<br /><br />Do the Carson City culprits know the Las Vegas vandals? Can North and South be in league, consort, conspire, collude? Or is this some secret serendipy of Christmas magic?

The Conspiracy Widens

The tin box came by mail to my office all the way from Carson City. It contained two red dice Christmas ornaments. They will go on the white...

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