10 tips to beat writers block with your resume - Hire Imaging

10 tips to beat writer’s block with your resume - Hire Imaging If you are writing your own resume, it can be a frustrating task, to say the least. Even if you are confident in your writing abilities and how you want to sell yourself in print, sometimes writer’s block looms like an unwelcomed cloud on an otherwise bright day. Here are 10 tips to get those writing juices flowing! You are not alone Writer’s block happens to even seasoned writers. There are simply times when the words just don’t seem to come together. Times when a writer feels stuck and can’t think of anything to write. Times when the writer knows what is intended, but can’t articulate in words that intention in a succinct, clear and compelling manner. And of course when writing your resume, you want to sellâ€"not tell. You want to do so in as few words as possible. You want to strategically format and wordsmith so less says more. And you want to convey a clear focus to a targeted audience. Andâ€"sometimes this is the most daunting of allâ€"you have to sell YOU! So, it’s natural to feel blocked. Over 20-plus years as a career coach and writer, I’ve had it happen … well, more times than I count. I have found some useful ways of dealing with the challenge. I hope you find them helpful! Follow a routine â€" Follow a routine to get in the writing mood. Try activities like wearing comfortable clothing, having fresh flowers on your desk, or listening to a particular type of music. Take a break. Get a snack or drink, talk to someone, pet the dog, or just relax for five minutes before starting to write again. Physically move around, stretch, or walk. Experiment. Try to write in different places, at different times, and with different writing instruments (yes, I know most of us are at the keyboards these days). Switch projects. If you’re burned out and can’t finish one piece of work, switch to another. Often putting the work in progress to the back of your mind helps. The subconscious mulls it over while you are consciously working on something else. Free-write. Choose one sentence in the résumé and write a paragraph about it. Then choose one sentence from that paragraph and do it again. You can also freewrite about something non-related to the résumé. Simply write whatever comes to your head. If you can’t think of anything, write that you can’t think of anything. A good recommendation is if all else fails, describe what is around you. Cluster â€" Choose key words and ideas; then write associated ideas and words in clusters around them. This process often forms new ideas. Be flexible. Be willing to throw out sections of text or design aspects that are causing problems or just don’t work. Give up perfectionism â€" It is paralyzing . . . and totally self-inflicted. If you want to write â€" just write. Much of what you write, you’ll edit out anyway, so just write! And as hard as it may be, relax. Breathe deeply. The more you worry, the harder it gets to think clearly. Write your way out of the block â€" Write the parts you know how to write first. You may gain an insight that will help you work out your problem area. At the same time, you’ll avoid compounding your problems and extending the “block” with frustration. Re-read Read a print draft of the résumé and jot down ideas while reading. One of the most frustrating things about writer’s block is that it’s not like a bacterial infection that you can just cure. You can get writer’s block again and again. Fortunately, when you do, there are strategies to make you well again! Now go write that fabulous resume! Photo: AlyssaLMiller

All-Time Best Graduation Speeches By Women

All-Time Best Graduation Speeches By Women After the tassles are turned and the graduation caps fall back to the ground, students receive their diplomas and are thrust out into the real world. For some, the future may look frightening and uncertain. These graduation speeches from fantastic women, though, show that the future is simply what you make of it. J.K. Rowling “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all â€" in which case, you fail by default.” In her speech for Harvard University in 2008, J.K. Rowling spoke about the twin benefits of failure and imagination. Starting out by admitting how nervous she is about speaking at such an important event, Rowling spoke about some of the most meaningful events in her life, including her fall to rock bottom, which inspired her to do what she loved. What was wonderful about her speech was her plea to graduates to take risks and go after adventure, for as she says, if you dont you havent lived at all. Ellen DeGeneres “Really, when I look back on it, I wouldnt change a thing. I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is, to be true to yourself.” Ellen DeGeneres speech for Tulane University in 2009 is predictably chock full of jokes and gags, but in the middle she shares a very personal story of how she lost one of her best friends in a car accident. In trying to come to terms with what had happened, Ellen began writing down her feelings, which evolved into her stand-up shows and her current career. She argues that the definition of success is constantly changing, and so the best thing you can do is be true to yourself. Michelle Obama “So you can either choose to use those opportunities to continue fighting the fights that weve been locked in for decades, or you can choose to reject those old divisions and embrace folks with a different point of view.” Michelle Obamas speech to the graduates of Eastern Kentucky University in 2013 covered three equally important topics. First, she spoke about the importance of family values, and how much love plays a role in those values. Second, she addressed the question of what comes next and the importance of helping others. Third, Obama talks about just how vital inclusivity is in enriching everybodys lives. Her speech addressed everybody involved in the students lives, from their parents to their friends, and the importance of being there for others. Mindy Kaling “Except heres the difference: You are the nerds who are going to make some serious bank, which is why Im here today â€" to marry the best looking amongst you.” In her speech to the Harvard Law graduates of 2014, Mindy Kaling good naturedly mocks everybody around her: the graduates, the professors and mostly herself. She says she has no idea why she was asked to speak at this event. However, she impresses on the graduates how important their role in the world is, and how the prestige of having graduated from Harvard will stay with them forever. As she says, “If you kill someone, you are the Harvard Law Murderer.”   Amy Poehler “No one is here today because they did it on their own.” At Harvard Class Day 2011, Amy Poehler stressed the importance of sharing your life with other people. She describes the rules of improv she learned when she was starting out: “Listen, say yes, live in the moment, make sure you play with people who have your back, make big choices early and often.” She extols the virtues of taking chances, and taking solace in your loved ones when youre frightened or anxious. Kerry Washington “The choice is yours. When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone elses script â€" try to make choices that will make other people happy. Or, you can look at all you have accomplished today and use it as fuel to venture forth and write your own story.” Kerry Washington, in her speech to the graduates of George Washington University in 2013, took the chance to highlight the achievements of her audience. The George Washington alumna talked about how graduates should push themselves out of their comfort zones in order to become their own person, rather than the ideal graduate. She also joked how preceding years had leading political figures, such as Michelle Obama, and the class of 2013 got “that lady whos having an affair with the president on that TV show.”   Julie Andrews “Dont engage in random acts of kindness, engage in planned acts of kindness.” In her speech to the graduates of University Colorado Boulder in 2013, Julie Andrews stressed how important kindness would be in their future lives. She argues that they need to be “beacons of light” in a world that needs them, someone to fight for the future of the world. She also asks that they make time for the arts in their lives, as they are “food for the soul.” Toni Morrison “You dont have to accept media, or even scholarly labels for yourself every true heroine breaks free from his or her class â€" upper, middle and lower â€" in order to serve a wider world.” Toni Morrison urged the graduates of Rutgers University in 2011 to look beyond themselves in their lives outside university. In a stirring speech, she outlines many of the ridiculous ideals of todays world, including the high price of education and privatized health care, and challenged them to create a better world for themselves and others. Sheryl Sandberg “We will never close the achievement gap until we close the ambition gap. But if all young women start to lean in, we can close the ambition gap right here, right now, if every single one of you leans in.”   In 2011, Sheryl Sandberg addressed the graduates of Barnard College by tackling the issues of inequality in the workplace. She noted that while university graduates became 50/50 male/female around 30 years ago, it still hasnt been reflected in the workplace. Using ideas from her yet-to-be released book, “Lean In,” she encourages women to be ambitious and close the gap in the workplace. Maria Shriver “Pausing allows you to take a beat â€" a breath in your life.” Maria Shriver spoke to graduates from the USC Annenberg School of Communication in 2012, and acknowledged the “what next” question many would be asking themselves. She noted that all their lives, people would be asking what next, whether its in their professional or personal lives. To address the problem, Shriver recommended they take the time to pause and reflect on their lives, to halt the incessant flow of information and take time out for themselves. These women have shown that you really can do anything you set your mind to. A little ambition, imagination and hard work will take you a long way. Image Source: https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8085/8536426163_761bf95a82_o_d.jpg

Tips For Writing Resume and Cover Letters - Tips For Job Hunting

Tips For Writing Resume and Cover Letters - Tips For Job HuntingIf you're going to get a job interview then you will need to have a proper resume and cover letter. These two documents should be written to show that you are a good employee and you are doing your best to make the company happy. That is why there are certain resume writing tips that will help you make the best of your skill and knowledge when it comes to resume writing and art skills.It is not enough to have a good resume and cover letter. You should also know how to write a good resume and cover letter. For a resume, it is important to focus on important information and emphasize it. This will make you stand out from all other applicants and will ensure that you get the job.Art skills can help you a lot in your career. It shows that you have a flair for art and can really produce some great designs. You can even add your creative abilities to the resume by including your art skills. If you have been working with differ ent people, then include those works as well and you will show what kind of artist you are.A skilled person can often be hired by an employer, but this does not mean that they are hired without any effort. So, the resume writing tips to follow here are a bit more complex. It is important to show how you can add value to the company and make them proud of you. You can do this by giving your best effort to get the job.A basic resume and cover letter that highlights your art skills will allow you to get noticed. Make sure that you emphasize the details of your skills. Explain your skills in detail. Also make sure that you have written it in such a way that they would remember your resume. You should always remember that a cover letter alone will not get you the job.You can include a few samples of your art skills on your resume. This will give the employer a glimpse into what type of things you can do for the company. Also, make sure that you have included these samples in the email ad dress box. This will allow you to send it with a click of the mouse.The best way to learn the art of resume writing is by studying it by example. This will allow you to take a simple resume and make it into a real art piece. The art skills that you can learn will help you get the job.

Salary Hollywood Actors are Making Less Than They Used To

Salary Hollywood Actors are Making Less Than They Used To So Hollywood pay is stellar? Well, actually, actor, director, and producer compensation is going down. The Hollywood Reporter has released salary trends for 2016, with this startling observation for some of your favorite celebrities. ‘There’s never been a better time to be a CEO,” the magazine said in a blog post on Thursday. “But actors, directors, and producers may want to start clipping coupons.” Sure, it’s a little tongue-in-cheek â€" but for an industry where payouts once knew no limit, the data is shocking nonetheless. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions and subtitles off, selectedAudio TrackFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.PlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xFullscreen Here are some noteworthy changes: Movie Stars There was a time, THR notes, when A-list actors would earn $20 to $30 million up front for every picture. Not so these days, when even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of the best-paid actors in Hollywood, nabs just (just?) $19 million a film. Leonardo DiCaprio still makes about $25 million per starring role, but he’s in the minority. As a result, some actors are taking more of an ownership stake in films, compared to previous years. As the publication notes: Vin Diesel, who gets paid tens of millions for the Fast Furious movies, recently cut a similar deal for XXX3; sources say he’s getting $1 million up front plus an ownership stake. “More and more of these deals will be happening,” predicts one producer who works in the studio and indie worlds. “It’s smart and modern.” Directors Like actor salaries, director compensation isn’t as clear cutâ€"or as colossalâ€"as it once was. Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Interstellar) is said to be nabbing $20?million upfront and 20% of the gross for his upcoming World War II epic Dunkirk, but that far outpaces most. The average director salary for a studio film is in the $750,000 to $1.5 million range, depending on past credits, according to THR. … even a director as esteemed as David Fincher can find himself getting nickeled and dimed when a studio is less certain of a project’s future; Fincher lost Steve Jobs to Danny Boyle because he wouldn’t back down from his $10 million asking price (plus, he wanted control of marketing). Producers First-time producers are faring better than their predecessors salary-wise, but “once you get to the top of the food chain, you hit a ceiling,” THR says. “For the most part, those super-plum deals that used to spew out tens of millions of dollars now are all but extinct, replaced by stingier cash break-even contracts, where producers don’t get paid until the studio recoups its production and marketing budgets.” Big names are still pulling in the big bucks, though. Superstar producers like Scott Rudin (Steve Jobs, Ex Machina) and Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Deepwater Horizon, Transformers ) make as much as $2.5?million in upfront cash, plus a percentage of box office earnings, THR observes.

6 Pitfalls Of Copying A Professional Resume - Work It Daily

6 Pitfalls Of Copying A Professional Resume - Work It Daily Recently, I was contacted by a job hunter who wanted an update to his existing resume, a service I offer to former clients in my practice. The resume looked strikingly familiar on some level, but the name didn’t resonate. Then, it hit me: I HAD written itâ€"but for someone else. Professional resume writers encounter this scenario all the time, and for the most part, it’s flattering to think our work is compelling enough to be copied (at least, if we can ignore the obvious part pertaining to copyright law). However, here’s what worries me when I spot a copied rendition of a professional resume (mine or anyone else’s): the copier rarely grasps the branding and building process that went behind it in the first place. Therefore, he’s doing himself a grave disservice by borrowing the format, writing style, and tone, then pasting his career story in between that of someone else. Pitfalls Of Copying A Professional Resume The worst part? The “borrower” often fails to understand this context, and goes right on using it as if it were a coherent and targeted document. So, if you’re determined to make your resume look like the masterpieces that you see on sites like mine, here are six likely problems that you’ll encounter in doing so: 1. You Can Easily Unravel The Original Brand Strategy So… you think you have the same career path and can therefore just “tweak” a word or two? Not so fast. For a resume to be effective, the strategy is set (prior to any writing) based on how well the candidate fits the desired role and the potential for screen-out factors based on his or her personal career path, age, industry preferences, and a host of other factors. I often compare a client’s career path and achievements to others in the industry, pulling out any areas of strength or weakness in credentials (including education and former jobs) to make decisions about word choice and emphasis. The writing process itself only starts after lengthy data mining and analysis of the job goal. Then, content is wrapped around and woven through the strategy, along with personality traits, resulting in a total picture and unique value proposition. Given this process, any changes to the resume by someone who doesn’t understand the candidate will create problems in the message… and while these nuances may go unnoticed by you, they are all key factors in whether a resume gets read or dismissed. 2. You Might Slide Into Generalizations That Blur The Message Here’s what one candidate did with my power summary that described market-leading achievements (including a 70% rise in revenue over 2 years, a totally restructured team and profitable turnaround effort, plus a total obliteration of the competition): “Dedicated and hard working professional with over 12 years of experience in the food service sales and marketing industry, Successful experience in strategic planning, analysis of results, and international media relations.” Ouch. Now, if you haven’t read lists of overused words for resumes, it might be time to do so. Words like “hardworking” or “successful experience” are both no-brainers and would not be taken seriously by employers… plus, they’re a dead giveaway the writer doesn’t know what he is doing when trying to describe himself. 3. You Could Repeat Yourself And put words like “created,” “spearheaded,” and “developed” in the document so many times that they’ll lose their meaning. Hopefully, you’ll refrain from describing all your achievements as “successful” and reference a thesaurus to avoid using the same word four times in one sentence (as I recently saw in a copied document). Here’s where training in power verbs can really save the day. Not convinced? Most professional writers count word occurrences (yes, really) and tend to scan documents for our favorite words, just to ensure employers remain fully engaged in your resume. 4. Your Changes Can Mess Up The Formatting Professional resume writers are masters of presentation and formatting, to the point that they’ll incorporate tricks and nuances into a resume that escape your untrained eye. In fact, just moving a sentence or two will often throw an entire page into disarray, because you’ll be challenged by figuring out how to adjust headings or change point sizes for spacer lines. Worse yet, you might feel the need to shrink the font below 11 points. This should only be done for certain sans serif fonts, and then reviewed on different monitors to verify that the over-40 crowd of employers can read your document. 5. Your Writing Might Suck Up Space (Or Not Make Sense) Professional resume writers specialize in something your English teacher never approved of: sentence fragments. That’s right â€" we boil ideas and full sentences down to the most minute of details in order to avoid that font problem that I just described. Best practices in journalism (you didn't know that resume writers use the Associated Press Stylebook, now did you?) dictate that sentences must be short, conveying meaning in the first 5 to 10 words. (25-word sentences are held up as the Holy Grail.) So, with minimal practice in tight writing, your sentences might be as long as the one I just reviewed in a copied resume: 79 words! It's close to impossible for your resume to pass a 10-second scan with a dense paragraph like this. In addition, lack of parallel sentence structure is a dead giveaway that your resume wasn’t professionally written. Parallel structure means that your sentences are written in alignment with each other (such as fragments that all begin with nouns, or verb forms that consistently appear in past tense). 6. There Won’t Be Any Way To Update Your “Work” Professionally Your personal work style and energy will rarely (if ever) show up in someone else’s document. So, you’re already operating at a severe brand disadvantage before even trying to have someone update the resume for you. Think about it: you started with someone else’s strategy, brand message, tone, and presentation, and tried to plop a mixed bag of verbiage over the original text. Now, it really doesn’t represent you, and this will make it difficult for a professional resume writer to make sense of it without starting fresh (which would have been my advice in the first place). In summary, you can certainly TRY to adopt a professionally written resume as your own, but the pitfalls that can trip you up along the way can actually hurt your job search results. You’re better off pulling in some formatting styles that appeal to you, and writing about your own career historyâ€"from scratch. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

How To Find Time For A Life Outside of Work

How To Find Time For A Life Outside of Work Does this sound familiar? I only have time for work and my kids.I once had a colleague who was very involved in his kids life and very productive at work but admits that was it. No hobbies, no TV watching, and no life outside of work or family. In fruchtwein work cultures this behavior is not just preferred, its rewarded with accolades and career advancement. Meanwhile, employees who choose to set work boundaries quietly perform well, but choose not to progress up at the sacrifice of their non-work life.In our work-first culture, most working mothers must devote most of their available time to work. The last remaining morsel of energy is lovingly (but also, sohonigweinimes resentfully) spent on family. Even in some demanding work environments like law or sales, having a life outside of work is frowned upon.As women strive forwork-life balance, they have started to redefine what it really means to be happy as a working mother. When work no longer satisfies or defines self-worth, a desire to have a gratifying life outside of work grows.Reasons we dont have a life outside workWorking hard is a virtue. But have we gone too far? There are many reasons we dont have lives outside of work, includingSocietal pressure There is an undercurrent of shaming women in America. Women who take on the martyr archetype are judged for being selfish, lazy, or not a good mother. Its a generational undercurrent, but its still alive in our culture. Women unconsciously take on too much at work because of this ingrained societal pressure.Personal pressure There sure is a lot to live up to as a modern mother, and sometimes our harshest critic is right there in the mirror.Workplace demands Whether it be work load, coworker repercussions, or supervisor pressure, working women have to navigate through no shortage of job pressures.The facebook inc factor Be real. You love posting that perfect pic of you rocking a dinner when your kids arent stran gling each other at the dinner table, that is. You will face social backlash if you dont look like a good mom, and thus you hyper-selectively choose what you share. That sort of inauthenticity isnt just stress-inducing it can pervade other areas of your life, too.Heres your sign Get a lifeThe signs that you need a life outside work are not always so obvious. If you have ever felt these emotions or find yourself in these situations, then its time you look at how you spend your timeResentful at your partner or kids or workExhausted at work and at homePermanent work-brain i.e., you cant turn off work mode when you get homeKids are extra clingyYour partner is distantFeeling a lack of fulfillmentDissatisfaction with workSurprisingly good things can happenUndoing some of that habitual thinking about work (or lack thereof) and challenging some cultural norms around work is bold. But the rewards of a balanced life are vast, likeStress relief and re-energizingBetter sleepFeel free (and you ng) againSense of connection to nature, people and spiritualityHave more energy for home lifeBetter sense of selfTake back your life action planIf you are reading this article, congratulations You have recognized that having a life outside work is important. And that is the first step The journey to making different choices around how you work and how spend your time outside of work is a process, not a quick fix. Advocating for well-being is often met with resistance from management or peer pressure.Even if you feel unable toschedule some leisure timeinto your calendar, making time for a life outside of work should be your No. 1 priority. It varies for every woman. For some women, its a pedicure every two weeks, for others its workout class three times a week, and for some its a no-child weekend away. I recommend you start with one two-hour activity every two weeks.While youre at it, check out Fairygodboss database offamily-friendly employerswho value your time and recognize the imp ortance of a well-balanced employee.And lastly check in with how you feel when you take time for yourself. Do feelings of guilt, resentment, or work anxiety come up? Its normal, but remember this You areworthhaving a life outside of work--Elaine is a Working Mom Support Coach on a mission de-stress maternity leave and propel a nation of thriving working mothers. From her own emotionally traumatic return-to-work after her first daughter (HOT MESS), ThriveMomma.com was born. She coaches new moms on return-to-work readiness, time management, and mindful living, and she consults for corporations on paternity transition planning and work-life policies to retain and nurture working parents.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

The Resume Writing Remote Jobs Diaries

The Resume Writing Remote Jobs Diaries You should be able to have a notion of what types of jobs require what types of resumes. One of the absolute most robust job boards youre able to find, Indeed pulls data from all over the world wide web and about the world to bring together jobs. There are a few things that dont belong on a resume for work. Youll discover a lot of great remote opportunities here of all kinds. Salary information is usually incorrect. If selected for additional evaluation, you are going to be contacted via email. Great resumes show instead of tell. There are a lot of standard kinds of resumes used to make an application for job openings. Remote jobs require a specific set of skills, however, regardless of what type of job it is. Therefore, youve realized all of the incredible advantages of remote workinglike having the ability to make a living from your living room and being more focused and successful at what you doand youre prepared to get online and receive a remote job. unbekannt from the regular small business facets of communication, being a top rated remote developer will also ask that you take the additional steps of sharing more than that whichs business as usual. Rather than a client hiring you to create a lot of repetitive articles for a site, a client hires you to concentrate on a single piece of writing and to make it the ideal bit of work that youve ever produced. You must also have top-notch communication. Its possible for you to concentrate only on resume writing work because weve got secure and quick payment module. When working remotely our principal manner of interacting with our team is via the written word.