11 and I am still surprised

17 years after 9/11 and I am still surprised I have been writing a post about 9/11 every year. Maybe because 9/11 comes right around the Jewish High Holidays, I treat my archive of posts a little like a prayer book. I read my favorite the first one because its still incredible to me that I was at the World Trade Center when it fell. I read some of the ones from the years right after that. The blog posts about the trauma of that day are also the posts that remind me of the most intimate times with my Ex. We were both changed people after that day. My Ex started a career in social justice. He risked his own safety to protest false imprisonment. We took in a young kid of a Palestinian activist who was on the run. I stopped being a reliable breadwinner and started writing career advice from my kitchen counter because I was too traumatized to go back to an office and have a career. And we had kids. That moment when I could not breathe. I am not clear, even today how long it was. It was long enough for me to have so many thoughts. First I thought to myself, I should have shut my mouth sooner. You have so much less time to live if your mouth is coated with rubble. Then I thought, I am not going to help the person who is touching my hand. I can barely help myself. Then I thought I am going to die. Its okay. Im okay to die. Then I thought, wait, I should die trying to live. I should just move or do something, anything, to find a place with air. So then I started moving. In pitch dark. With no idea at any given moment what I was touching or standing on. And in all this, still, so many thoughts, an unbelievable number of thoughts, I also had my most vivid, memorable thoughts: That I am so disappointed I would not get to see my life unfold. I was so excited to start a family with my husband. I wanted to see what would happen. Now I know: the gift of life is to get to be part of it. Thats all. Its a joy to see what happens. The best story in the world. But my story is not anything like I expected. I know this is true for everyone. But its still true. I am just so surprised. And I feel guilty to say this I am disappointed. I am so grateful to have lived. Even 17 years later, I cry now. Remembering the feeling when I decided it was okay to die. I would be okay. Thats just how it is. You get that feeling. I know. I had it. I got to live. But I thought I would live a perfect little life. I didnt realize it. I just guess I just assumed. I mean, I think everyone thinks thats what they are missing when they die. I didnt die, so I know what happens. We take family pictures. For the boys. Because even though their dad only lives with us one week out of every five, the boys deserve to feel like a family. I look at that picture and I think of 9/11. This family is what has emerged from 9/11. And its broken. And Im sad. And Im sad that I dont feel more gratitude. I always imagined telling the boys about 9/11. I saved so many things. I saved books full of high-resolution photos. I saved the wastebasket I carried with me for miles and miles. I saved letters school children wrote to me after they read my story. Its good that my shirt and my shoes from that day are somewhere safe at the Smithsonian. Because this year I threw all the other stuff out. We are in a very small apartment in Swarthmore. And the move away from the farm was very difficult. We kept only what we wanted most of all. And what I want most of all is the family. I wanted it most the day I thought I would die as well. So in that respect, not much has changed. I dont want to talk to the boys about the details of 9/11. And to be honest, I dont think they care. They remind me of me, when I was a kid, walking out of the room when someone started talking about Vietnam. Not because it was sad, but because it was annoying; grownups back then never could shut up about Vietnam. My sons sense that 9/11 is an undertone to every memory, every photo tucked safely into the pages of an album. But my sons dont need to look at pictures of the World Trade Center to remember it. We were a family during those early, raw years right after 9/11 and they ask all the time about what that was like. Trauma is genetic. I have read that before. Now I understand how it happens. This is not how I imagined my life would unfold, but I still feel so lucky to be here for it.

Learn About Resume Writing and Cover Letter Techniques From Auburn, AL

Learn About Resume Writing and Cover Letter Techniques From Auburn, ALIf you have ever attended a resume writing and cover letter workshop in Auburn, AL, then you probably know that there are plenty of ways that the information on your resume can be made to look better. Writing a cover letter can take a real load off of your resume, but it's important to know what the types of resume writing and cover letter techniques are available.One of the major influences on what is included on a resume is the use of fonts. When you attend a workshop in Auburn, Alabama, you will be able to learn about the different types of fonts that can improve the appearance of a resume. Learn about some of the more common fonts you can choose from.Sound, Rhythm, and Style: If you want to stand out from the crowd, then you need to make sure that your resume and cover letter are all about sound, rhythm, and style. These three things make up the heart of a resume, but they can also serve as an opening to your c over letter. Attend a workshop in Auburn, Alabama and you will find out what the most important things to think about when it comes to building your resume, covering letter, and overall presentation.The importance of rhythm is often overlooked, but it's something that is vital to anyone who has ever listened to rap music. It's very important that you highlight the best points of your resume in an interesting way, and it's also very important that you learn how to write in a way that makes the points seem effortless. This is very similar to rap music, but it's easier for non-musicians to understand. For this reason, it's a good idea to consider learning the basics of rap music in a workshop in Auburn, Alabama.Remember that even though hip hop is a musical genre, it doesn't mean that it has to have words. There are many rappers who are rapping about specific problems in their lives, but they're not talking about it using any type of language. They're just letting the words come out of their mouth. That makes it easier for those who want to write a cover letter.Rhythm is the key elements of any kind of writing. For example, it's easy to learn how to sing a song. But it's very difficult to learn how to rhyme, as the true skill lies in combining words and phrases. During a resume writing and cover letter workshop in Auburn, Alabama, you will learn about the importance of combining words and phrases that fit together, in a way that makes sense.Learning how to use rhyme to create rhymes is much easier than combining words together in order to rhyme. Many times, if a person is trying to develop a single line of rhyming, it's not a real success. It takes a lot of practice, but it's worth it when you come across a rhyming scheme that works. If you can take a simple word, such as bathroom, and turn it into words like cake, fridge, or bathroom, then you can greatly enhance the impact of the first rhyming word.After attending a resume writing and cover letter workshop in A uburn, AL, you will be surprised at how easily you can master the art of rhyming. After learning the basics of rap music, and mastering the basics of the art of rhyming, you'll be ready to give a presentation in Auburn, AL.

The value behind professional resume writing - Sterling Career Concepts

The value behind professional resume writing The value behind professional resume writing I read aQA post in this past weekends Sunday Journal debating the value of professional resume writing, and I wanted to walk through six scenarios (out of many) where hiring a professional resume writer is worth the investment: Career changers who need to identify,highlight, and draw parallels to transferrable skills. People who have a tough time identifying their own successes. The process of developing your resume with a qualified professional resume writer will help you identify your strengths and accomplishments. This in turnhelps you prepare for interviews. People who arent good at expressing their thoughts in writing. This can include more artisticpersonalities,sales professionals, or those who focus more on the big picture, not the details. People who preferto partner with professionals for their expertise onspecific projects. I discussed this concept in an earlier post, but examples include working with an attorney on your will, a tax accountant to complete yourtax return, a financial advisor for your financial planning or on a more personal scale,an interior decorator, home stager, or wedding planner. The point is yourecognize the value in partnering with experts in specific fields formaximum efficiencyand results. Resume developmentand job searching is an intermittent activity for people. You cant be expected to bean expert in something you last did 3, 5, or 7 years ago, but weare. Its our job to stay on top of trends andbest practices. Someone who has neverneeded a resume for earliercareer moves, but is now faced with the daunting task of creating one from scratch after 10, 15, or 20 years.This can include entrepreneurs, employees of family-owned businesses, or professionals who successfully networked into each of their past positions. Someone whos existing resume is not securing interviews and has tried to make their own improvements. It may be time for a professional second opinion. If you find yourself in this scenario, you have to consider what its costing you to not work with a professional resume writer. What you dont know about resumestrategy may be hindering your job search efforts. One rather large caveat does apply: Not all professional resume writers are created equal. Do your research. Speak to several writers. Review their qualifications. Are they a member of one or more professional associations? Are they certified? What does their background experience include? Do you feel comfortable speaking with them? Are you able to develop a rapport with him/her during your call? The bottom line? Do your research. Tread lightly until you feel comfortable with who youre hiring, but realize that not hiring a professional to help you with your career marketing documents may be leaving you at a disadvantage and extending your job search unnecessarily. Why do that to yourself when you can tap into a writers expert knowledge base. Related posts include: How much will my professionally written resume save me? Free resume critique froma large job board: Proceed with caution

How to Show Culture Fit to a Potential Employer - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to Show Culture Fit to a Potential Employer Research shows that 43% of employers view culture fit as the most important factor when assessing a job candidate. Unsurprisingly, you’ll find quite a bit of advice online which claims to reveal how you can show culture fit to a potential employer. However, it seems to me that most of this advice steers you in the direction of being someone you’re not. “Act this way”. “Look this way.” “Demonstrate the company’s values.” “Don’t forget to speak the company’s language.” This type of advice might help you get a foot in the door. it might even help you fit into a company’s culture. However, it’s also likely that you’ll be quite miserable once you’re at that company because you’ll need to put on a mask for as long as you work there. Let me suggest that there’s a better way. In this article I’ll show you how to: find a company where you fit in with the company culture demonstrate on your resume that you’re a good fit for that company’s culture prepare for the culture fit interview So, What Is ‘Culture Fit’? In its simplest sense, it’s an alignment of your values with those of your employer. For example, if the company believes in democracy and loose oversight, it would have a flat hierarchy, with no (or few) line managers; it would give you a lot of autonomy and expect you to be personally accountable for producing results. A culture like this is a dream come true if you tend to be entrepreneurial in your approach to work. However, if you’re used to rigidity, process, oversight and rules, you’d feel quite uneasy in this kind of culture. Why Is Culture Fit Important? Remember, culture fit is as important for you the employee as it is for an employer. You could be the best engineer in the world, but if you believe that fossil fuels are evil, then you’d never be happy at BP, regardless of the position or salary. In other words, your core values must align with the company you want to work for. If they don’t, then no matter how much you want to work there, there’s a good chance you’ll never feel you fit into the company’s culture. Showing Culture Fit In Your Job Application. Now that you understand why you need to show culture fit to a potential employer, it’s time take a closer look at how to do it. Below is a breakdown of 7 key strategies that will help you. Do Your Homework. Step one is simply about developing a better understanding of the company you’re applying to. Here are some ideas to guide you. Company website: Pay special attention to the language used on the ‘about us’ and ‘our team’ pages. Is the tone friendly and relaxed? Corporate and smart? Social Media: What is the tone on Twitter? What kind of articles can be found on Facebook? LinkedIn profiles: Look at the LinkedIn profiles of existing employees. Do they mention the work they do at the organisation? If so, what is said about it? Get experience as a customer: Try to get into the sales funnel if you can (e.g. newsletters, blog subscriptions, website membership) as you’ll get a good insight into how they treat potential customers. Browse Company Reviews on Glassdoor: A kind of TripAdvisor for employers, this review site displays reviews from real staff on thousands of organisations. Don’t simply listen to opinions pay close attention to what kinds of people leave which opinions. Talk to employees: If you can, have a coffee with a current employee. Ask them what the management think is important. What are the core values and do they live by them? Be Sceptical About The Company’s Propaganda. It’s time for a reality check. Be open to the idea that most of the information you’ve uncovered in the step above is false. Company websites tend to be aspirational in nature. In other words, they tend to describe how the company wants to be seen, rather than what it is. Social media activity is not necessarily a sign of a progressive culture. Look between the lines do you see signs of a robust, intelligent social media and content strategy? Or are you looking at results of a “tick-the-box” effort? Be Sceptical About People’s Opinions. When you meet people from a company you’re interested in, make sure you meet more than one. When you meet them, go deeper than polite chit-chat. Your aim is not to get a person’s opinion (those will vary); the real value is in figuring out what kind of people succeed at the company and what kind of people fail. Here are a few questions that will allow you to dig deeper: “What’s your story? How did you end up at XYZ Company?”. This is a useful starting question which can provide you with some insight about the pathways that people take. “What’s the recruitment process like?”. This can give you a heads-up about things you need to prepare / look out for. “Why have you stayed there for this long?” This question allows you to look deeper than “this company is good/bad” analysis. If someone works there because “the company is, like, so cool” and you want to work with people who challenge you intellectually, this could be a red flag. “What is the company up to?”. If a company is not clear on its direction, then the employees won’t be. Do you want to work for a company which isn’t sure why it exists? Also, do the employees genuinely care about the company’s mission, or are just paying lip service to it? “What is annoying/frustrating about XYZ?”. A sign of annoying/frustrating things is not a problem in itself (every company is imperfect). A sign of a culture of complaint is. With this question, you’re essentially inviting the person to complain. Watch their response closely. Do they gossip? Do they blame? “What have you learned / how have you developed since starting at XYZ?”. This will give you insight into how the company develops its people. “If you could rewind time, would you take the job at XYZ again?”. This can provide you with insight into the gap between the company’s promises and realities. This is not, by any means, an exhaustive list. For more ideas, check out this excellent piece about testing for culture fit. Write Your Resume. Once you have figured out what the company’s culture is, and you believe that you and the company are a good match, it’s time to fine-tune your resume. Now, I highly recommend that you begin by having your resume written by a professional resume writer (make sure you read this  guide to choosing the best resume writer), or you spend a considerable amount of time learning how to write a resume and then follow the advice closely. It means you’ll already have a solid resume which communicates your value to an employer. However, some tweaks may be necessary to ensure that your resume is perfectly tuned to each job you apply for. For example: In the ‘Professional Profile’ section of your resume, ensure that you emphasise the values that match the organisations and, if possible, how they tie in with your value proposition as a professional. Make sure your ‘Key Skills’ section succinctly summarises those skills that demonstrate your fit within the culture. For example, are you an empowering leader, entrepreneurial or process-driven. In your ‘Previous Employment’ section, make sure your positions are described using the same language as your potential new employer. Depending on the companies you’ve worked for previously you may need to shake off some of the corporate jargon or lose the creative ‘fluff’. Seriously consider using a different resume for each position you apply for so you can truly align your values. We’re talking subtle variations a full blown realignment would call into question your overall cultural fit. Prepare Your Cover Letter. Your covering letter is another great place to emphasise how well you would fit into a corporate culture. For example, you can use sentences like: “The role of XXXX really caught my eye because [demonstration of a core value].” Or if speculative: “I am now looking for a role in an organisation that aligns with my [demonstration of a core value].” Use the covering letter to reinforce why you’re a great fit. Ensure That Your LinkedIn Profile Echoes Who You Are. Don’t forget about your LinkedIn profile! Ensure that it communicates that overarching narrative of who you are, what you do and how you do it. My advice here is to think about you, rather than the organisation. For example: What are your core values? How do your skills and achievements align with those values? What causes do you believe in and advocate for? What characterises your leadership style? Prepare For The Job Interview. So, you’ve bagged that interview! What now? If you’ve done your homework, this should be the easy part. Remember, your job is not to fit in with the company’s culture (that’s what we all tried to do in high school how did that work out?) it’s to find a company where you’re a cultural match. Therefore, if you remember anything, remember this: avoid the temptation to pretend someone you’re not at all costs. However, do spend some time reflecting on who you are, what you stand for, what you care about and what you oppose. I personally find that going for a long walk in a park or along a beach is the most conducive way of doing this. Carry a notepad and take down insights as they come to you. (Ah, who are am I kidding who carries a notepad these days? Just bring your phone). Finally, prepare yourself for some interview trickery. You’ll find plenty of advice about this online, or hire an excellent interview coach. Think about how you’d answer competency questions angled toward culture fit, e.g. “tell me about a time that your belief in [VALUE] was challenged” or “how would you react if your job role suddenly changed?” Key Point To Remember. Culture fit is as important for you as it is for them. In any interaction, you’re assessing your suitability just as much as they are. There’s little point in getting your dream job if it turns out to be in an organisation that gives you nightmares.

Client Case Study Erin OBrien - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Erin OBrien - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Im thrilled to have my very first Client Case Study from my  Discover Your Dream Business  program and what a success story it is! Erin is a woman after my own heart, not only realizing during the program that she can take her 3 of resume writing and make it her career but working with multiple clients (and having a waitlist!) by the time we wrapped up 8 weeks later! Its only been a month since our last lesson, but shes gotten  her site  and packages up and has hung her shingle! I cant wait for you to read more. Why did you decide to sign up for Discover Your Dream Business?   For years I have suspected that I wanted to work for myself one day, but it was terrifying to fully admit. My head was full of ideas, big and small, but I had lost the belief in myself that I could do anything on my own. And honestly, I didnt really know where to begin. I needed help picking one idea and figuring out next steps, and I needed to be reminded and assured that the one idea didnt have to be the forever idea.   When I read about Discover Your Dream Business it sounded like the perfect formula to help me overcome my fears and take that first step to help me carve out my path toward an entrepreneurial venture. Your story resonated with me a lot and without even meeting you I loved your energy and approach. I loved your title, the When I Grow Up Coach, because I was always asking myself what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was confident that working with you would be the push I needed to get started and I could tell wed even have some fun along the way.   What were you doing when we started the program?   Im a Senior Public Relations Manager at a fashion brand, and when the program started I was only 7 months into a new role at the company. I love the company I work for and the work I do, but I also felt like I wasnt reaching my full potential in life in general, like there was more I could be doing outside of work and for myself. My head was always spinning with ideas for projects or ventures but they would just end up in my notebook where ideas went to die. I had this constant fear that Id wake up one day and be 80 years old, looking back and wondering what if? Im really thankful to work for a company that affords me work/life balance, and I have a lot of career goals to achieve before I fully enter into being an entrepreneur, so I plan to continue working at my full-time job while I explore my dream business now that I have some direction.   What was your biggest takeaway from our time together? My biggest takeaway from Discover Your Dream Business was that I can,  in fact, do literally anything I set my mind to. I have this innate preconceived notion that I need some sort of certification or formal training to be an expert in things, which has stopped me from doing a lot until now, but DYDB helped me realize that having a skill, a plan and a desire to do something is enough to get started. I loved working with you because it satiated my need for permission, while also helping me realize that I didnt need it. This led to my first money-making offer, resume writing, and when I posted my ad on Facebook the response was WILD. I needed that push to help me see that I not only had a marketable skill, but that people really wanted and needed it. What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together? Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living with a business they love? I would tell someone in my shoes that they have a whole array of marketable skills and that they are worth the investment in themselves. The best tip is something I got from you, to really think about the lifestyle you want to live and back into your business idea from there. Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear what you clarified and whats next! After much deliberation, I finally landed on a domain name and that had a domino effect of inspiration for a logo and website design. During DYDB we had come up with my title, Career Confidence Coach, that would be an umbrella so I could continue to expand my career-related offerings beyond resume writing. I was stuck on my domain name for two weeks because no iteration of my name was available. I started thinking about how I wanted people to feel when they worked with me: like I was their friend or confidant, in addition to being an expert on the subject matter. Those domains were also taken (ha!) and I got to thinking about how I really feel like a personal cheerleader when Im working with someone, hence CareerCheer.com. Now that thats settled, Im wrapping up the last of my clients that replied to my original ad from DYDB and gearing up to take on new clients. My site and services will continue to evolve and Ill soon launch a newsletter. Considering I had no idea what I wanted to d o just 6 weeks ago, Id say Im off to a really strong start thanks to DYDB, and I look forward to scaling my business. Todays the last day to submit an application for  Discover Your Dream Business!  Id love for you to be my next success story, just like Erin.  Click here and make it happen  before it closes at 6pm Eastern today!

Free Resume Writing Tools

Free Resume Writing ToolsIf you are just starting out as a job seeker, free resume writing tools could come in handy. After all, most people don't have the time or inclination to spend hours pouring over the fine print of hundreds of resumes to see if they match the profile they are trying to fill out. There are many free resume writing tools that can help.I know that this may be surprising to a lot of people, but you don't need a lot of money to be able to put together a good, free resume. In fact, I would venture to say that anyone with the right kind of interest and creativity can come up with a good and relevant resume in a couple of hours. In fact, it is easier than you might think.In the same way that there are no masters of writing in a coffee shop, there are no masterful writers in the resume writing arena. Everything you can do to write a good resume is applicable to other tasks in the job search process. So, as long as you are committed to what you are doing, there are no c reative or even vague problems you can't solve. To the contrary, free resume writing tools can make things a whole lot easier for you.So, if you are looking for ways to help you write a free resume, you need to find a lot of good free resume writing tools that work to your advantage. Many of these are available on the Internet for free. If you don't want to spend money on them, you can always find good copywriting services that can help you out.Another free resume writing tool is one that asks you to insert a particular type of information on your resume. If you like, you can try typing a short essay on the first page. This will make you more effective and more interested in the job you are applying for.T free resume writing tools You can also get a free resume writing service to help you get started. These services can help you come up with some good free resume writing tools that can make the job search process faster and easier. You can find a lot of free resume writing services by surfing the Internet.All you need to do is look around the Internet for a few reliable free resume writing services that will help you write a job application. You can also try doing a simple search on Google for free resume writing tools. The free resume writing tools that you can find in these places will help you get up and running with your job search quickly and easily.

Characteristics of Office Skills for Resume

Characteristics of Office Skills for Resume The Basics of Office Skills for Resume The fundamental operations of each sort of machine might vary based on the brand and the model of the machine. Rather than a typewriter, you will have to know your way around a selection of software applications. Soft skills can be challenging to quantify, but they are crucial in the industry world. Once you have the job, you will likely have some flexibility in a firm's dress code to reveal your style. Most Noticeable Office Skills for Resume In 2019 you'll find more attention if you stick with company objectives and the way you are going to provide help. General office help is necessary in nearly every industry you can consider, including academic institutions, healthcare facilities, government agencies, for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations. Your principal challenge is to be adaptable, always on-task, and ready to manage a range of projects from several sources at the same time . Utilizing the most suitable keywords and phrases in your resume is vital to getting your resume read. Make sure that you have a minumum of one instance of a time you demonstrated each of the highest fiveskills listed here. Make sure that you have ready a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated skills from every category listed here. Make certain you have a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated every one of the top five skills listed here. Top Office Skills for Resume Choices As the employer determines whether you will be perfect for the job, you should decide whether the job is best for you. It's possible to boast the experience and achievements related to the work post you're applying for. Obviously, each job will call for unique abilities and experiences, so make certain you read the job description with care and concentrate on the skills listed by the employer. Virtually every job involves working on a team in some manner. The One Thing to Do for Office Skills for Resume Based on your responsibilities, the reach of problem you're predicted to solve, and your degree of independence, the level to which you problem-solve might vary. An administrator should be in a position to have the ability to plan ahead of time and prepare for any prospective office difficulties. For instance, an office assistant job description could generally request typing abilities. An office assistant resume needs to demonstrate a vast range of skills. Skills of a secretary might vary drastically. General office worker is frequently an entry-level position. The secretary resume is a place in which you must showcase your readiness to accept responsibilities in a really challenging function. If one of these categories is a region in which you excel, visit its particular page to learn how resume skills may be used to your benefit. The work description will most likely incorporate a list of required skills. Dependent on the help of our exper t sources, here are a couple of broad sorts of skills your resume could include, together with unique methods to express them. There are a lot of good examples online. The Basics of Office Skills for Resume Most learn their skills at work. Job-specific skills vary dependent on the position. It is considerably more challenging to teach interpersonal and decision-making skills. Any extra computer skills you have is only going to boost your resume.