Why I've Been Quiet (& Free E-book)

If you're a regular visitor to my website or stop by to read my blog, you've probably noticed that I've been quiet as of late. I've been busy.

Since April 15, I have been serving as a consultant to Microsoft Office Live's "My Resume Talks Campaign," a national campaign over Facebook which ends this week. Recently, Microsoft released my free eBook, "Has Your Resume Graduated from College? Five Strategies for Finding a Job in Today's Economy" on the campaign website. You can have your own copy here.

While I work with job seekers of all levels, the eBook was designed especially for the recent college graduate.

Could someone mistake your resume for a laundry list? If yes, find out how to fix it.

Check it out, and tell me if you find my tips for resume writing to be helpful, or if you have additional strategies to share that I may have missed?

As always, thanks for reading.>

To Your Success,

Chandlee

P.S. If you have time, do check out Kevin Connolly's resume in a blender routine on the MyResumeTalks.com campaign site on Facebook. The campaign ends Friday, June 5.

Learning to Swim Again

This winter, I'm learning how to swim again. After a childhood full of lessons and success rates with annual swim tests, I must say I'm surprised. When I started swimming again regularly this fall, I was pretty convinced that I knew how to swim well enough, and I thought it completely unnecessary to take lessons--especially since I have no plans to swim competitively. But that was before I adjusted to the skinny lanes allotted to swimmers in Manhattan, and got passed more than I ever thought possible.

Then I realized that I wasn't really seeing any results from swimming. I looked up the calorie burn rate for swimming; and realized that the swimming that I was doing probably fell into the lower "burn" rate even if I felt I was exerting myself. It was time for a correction.

I caught the eye of a swim coach, got a tutorial in new techniques for the breaststroke, watched a couple of YouTube instructional videos--and got back in the pool and tried again. I learned that there have been many improvements to the breaststroke technique over the years, and that it isn't just the magic swimsuits which have contributed to new world records in speed.

It feels good to learn a new way of doing things, and I plan to continue my fitness efforts in this area--especially since my results have been rewarded. (I've discovered that the revised technique means that I can actually pass people on occasion.)

Almost everyone I know feels self-conscious about being seen in a bathing suit. And, as I talk about swimming I feel even more self-conscious, especially since my first post for Career Hub last summer focused on how Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin adjusts to feedback in the pool. There's something to be said for taking one's own advice--and who wants to admit that they had not done it before!?

I decided to share my experience in the pool anyway because I think it parallels the current experience of many job seekers: It is easy to get used to the old ways of doing things and if it worked in the past, it can be harder to try something new at the outset--even if the rules of the game have changed.

If you're active in this employment market, chances are good that the traditional job search process (find ad, send resume with cover letter, interview and get offer) may not work as quickly for you in the past--especially given that there are fewer postings now than before. As time equals money, I encourage you to seek assistance with your job search to help you ease the process. From YouTube videos on interviewing skills, to the free e-books available through Career Hub, you'll find a wealth of information available to help you adjust your techniques. If you learn better through a personal approach, contact me and let me know how I can help you dive in!

To Your Success,
Chandlee

Networking: Fool-proof Strategy to Break the Ice

Twice a month, I facilitate programs for a Manhattan based group of job seekers. During our most recent meeting, we had an extended conversation on the awkwardness of networking--how it's easy for some, but incredibly awkward for others.

It seems to me that problem with networking is that it is like riding a bike or swinging a golf club: the more you think about the process of doing it, the harder it gets. When you focus attention on yourself, you can lose your perspective and your balance. (Have you ever fallen over on your bike?)

Today, Kevin Donlin of the Simple Job Search published a great blog post with an anecdote to the awkwardness entitled "Networking is NOT about You."

Check it out. I think it's a fool-proof way to move your job search forward.

To your success,
Chandlee

Handling the Missing "Required" Skill: Free Tech Training

If you've ever stopped yourself from applying for a new position because you're missing a tech skill or two on the list of requirements, here's one suggested fix:

YouTube

The site that allows you to watch Tina Fey imitate Sarah Palin, music videos, and pet tricks is also used by technical trainers...

Many years ago, I was proficient at Macromedia Dreamweaver--a website development and management application which I learned and used with ease. Three months ago, I bought the latest version, Adobe Dreamweaver (CS3) and found it not-so-easy.

Enter YouTube--home of 480 tutorial videos on Dreamweaver CS3. I found several of them much more comprehensive and easy to understand than the tutorials supplied by Adobe. 

Bottom line: If you don't have a required skill, consider jumping online and taking a crash course tutorial. Take notes and practice prior to the interview than list "familiar with [application]" on your resume...If you've completed the tutorials, you'll have a few tricks under your belt and will indeed be "familiar" with the new application.

To your success!