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Every morning I begin my short commute to work in a bit of a funk, as I think most of us do. But then I turn onto tree lined Magnolia Ave and am graced with the presence of Tower Grove Park. This vast public space is filled with uniquely fashioned pavilions, native foliage and playing fields. Driving down Magnolia Ave is a daily dose of pleasure for my own neighborhood. Opposite Tower Grove Park, I pass the koi ponds of Missouri Botanical Gardens and continue on my route.
More often than not, there's a detour on my route to work that leads me past Tilles park - another great asset for the residents of The City of St. Louis. Driving past these parks always have a calming effect, and now that we're in winter and everything is blanketed in a clean white sheet of snow, the effect is enhanced.
The best part of my morning commute arrives as I pass over the highway and enter Forest Park, another source of pride in my city. Forest Park is home to the (free) St. Louis Zoo, the (free) St. Louis Art Museum, the (free) St. Louis Science Center and the (free) Missouri History Museum, 2 golf courses, multiple restaurants, waterways, native wildlife and much more. It's also one of the largest city parks in the country - larger than Central Park in New York City by 600 acres.
I just love rolling down the hill by the zoo, adjacent to the 1904 World's Fair bird cage. Turning right at the bottom of the hill offers a great morning view of frozen waterways dotted with Canadian Geese atop the ice, tall grasses and city history. I will also note that during my commute over these past few icy days, the clearest streets are found inside this great park. Thank you Parks Department and groundskeepers!!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
A Message to My Readers
Dear Readers,
I apologize for not providing consistently updated content. I often wonder what I should write about as my focus for this blog is a little here and there. A lot of my previous content has been the result of recurring questions I get from friends and those I serve through work. If there's a topic you'd like to see hashed out here, please do let me know. In the meantime, I'm going to write when I feel I have something worth sharing.
Thank you,
Rachel
I apologize for not providing consistently updated content. I often wonder what I should write about as my focus for this blog is a little here and there. A lot of my previous content has been the result of recurring questions I get from friends and those I serve through work. If there's a topic you'd like to see hashed out here, please do let me know. In the meantime, I'm going to write when I feel I have something worth sharing.
Thank you,
Rachel
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
How to Get the Job You Want
In the past year or so I have assisted many friends and others in their job searches. In this post I intend to cover the basics that lead up to getting the interview.
This advice is coming from someone who is not a professional job finding coach, rather someone who has honed the skills to her own satisfaction. By focusing only on jobs I want, where I have an "in" and by working very hard to perfect the resume and cover letter, I have never submitted more than 5 resumes during any given job search.
1. The Biggest Challenge - Getting Your Resume Noticed
Anytime, and especially during this economy, this is the biggest hurdle for most. Some people put out thousands of resumes in hopes of getting a call back. I suggest taking the opposite approach - focus only on positions for which you have an "in." In this digital age of social media and professional networking sites like LinkedIn, this stage of the job search has gotten much easier. Let everyone who is interested in your well being and success know a) that you are looking for a position, b) what type of position you are looking to find and c) which companies/industries are of particular interest to you. A very good friend of mine has taken this approach and within one week obtained 3 strong leads on jobs that are a) a great match for his skills set, b) desired pay range and c) viable leads, i.e. he knows someone who can hand his resume to the person who needs to read it in order for him to be called in for an interview.
Even more ideal is if you have the opportunity and gall to actually hand your resume to the person who needs to see it. I have done this on two occasions - once by crashing the going away party of the person whom I hoped to replace (got the interview, not the position), and once by working in the same building already and racing out to the hall when the hiring manager was coming back from the restroom (my "in" called me to let me know when was the right time - and it's the job I currently hold). This is a tricky approach and you must have the connections and gumption to be able to pull it off, but if you can, it is well worth it.
2. The Resume and Cover Letter - Personalization is a must!
Now obviously the resume you post on Monster.com will not be personalized, though it should be focused for the career that you want and use the verbiage that matches that career.
If you are applying for a specific job, your resume and cover letter MUST match the job description. You don't want to leave anything to the reader’s interpretation. That being said, you should never lie on a resume - it is bad karma for one and second it is simply foolish. I find that I give this advice to many people and they feel like it's too much work. The bottom line though is this - looking for a job is a full time job.
This is my approach:
First, take the job description and two highlighters of different colors. With one color, highlight every verb. These are things that will be covered in your resume. In some cases, job descriptions are without verbs. In this case, highlight all the specific tasks or responsibilities and qualifications in your resume color.
Next, highlight all of the softer skills and personality traits in another color. This will be what you cover on your cover letter.
Now the writing begins...
The cover letter is broken down into several distinct paragraphs:
1. I am writing in regards to xyz position which I viewed on xyz website (or heard about from your xyz employee).
2. Your need for someone with such and such experience is a good match for my x number of years experience doing just that. Here you may also include some of those soft skills. For example, "Your need for diligent staff who are cost conscious is an ideal match for my work ethic." and "Your search for someone with extensive accounting experience is a perfect match for my 9 years of full charge bookkeeping experience."
3. Delve a little deeper. In this paragraph you want to tie specific instances at your previous employment to the skill set they are seeking. Example, "I believe my experience doing xyz best demonstrates the skills you are seeking. During this project I ... (insert results oriented sentences here which match the hard and soft skills they are seeking but be careful not to repeat your resume text). I often use the Give Missourians a Raise Campaign for this section... "My diligent work resulted in success on election day when 76% of Missouri voters approved the proposition to raise the minimum wage in Missouri."
4. If there are additional points to cover, do so here and follow a similar format as paragraph 3.
5. Closing line - I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about xyz position, please call me at your convenience (include your number).
Each of these is brief paragraph with no more than 4 sentences. They should get directly to the point while linking their needs to your experience.
The resume is verb filled and results oriented!
• Do ensure that every line begins with a verb. Ideally these are the verbs and tasks outlined in the position description.
• Do pay attention to the details and consistency in formatting.
• Do ensure that you cover every single point of what they are seeking. If there's something they are looking for that you do not have, either skip it or address it directly by letting them know that one of your skills is your ability to learn quickly or independently. Another alternative is to research what they want. Most recently this came up with a company who wanted someone familiar with "trust accounting." After a few minutes of research the job applicant realized he knew much more than he thought and he had comparable experience. As always, if it's not true, don't put it on your resume.
• Do proofread. If you right that you have "hi attention to detail" it is not only untrue it is laughable. And yes, people gather over resumes and cover letters and laugh. (Note, spell check won't catch a mistake like that either - you MUST PROOF and ask others to proof for you).
• Do include a "skills" section which will cover any software knowledge the employer requires and any other skills. This section should begin with an adjective which describes your skill level, e.g. "Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Strong presentation skills, Excellent interpersonal communication skills" and so on.
• Do not feel trapped by making your resume go in a timeline. Your relevant experience should be front and center.
I believe this is enough to get any job seeker started. I know it reads like it's a lot of work and it is. For this reason I strongly believe you should only apply to positions for which you really believe are a good fit for your skills, your goals and your lifestyle. If you believe the job is right for you, it will be much easier to convey that during the writing and interview process.
This advice is coming from someone who is not a professional job finding coach, rather someone who has honed the skills to her own satisfaction. By focusing only on jobs I want, where I have an "in" and by working very hard to perfect the resume and cover letter, I have never submitted more than 5 resumes during any given job search.
1. The Biggest Challenge - Getting Your Resume Noticed
Anytime, and especially during this economy, this is the biggest hurdle for most. Some people put out thousands of resumes in hopes of getting a call back. I suggest taking the opposite approach - focus only on positions for which you have an "in." In this digital age of social media and professional networking sites like LinkedIn, this stage of the job search has gotten much easier. Let everyone who is interested in your well being and success know a) that you are looking for a position, b) what type of position you are looking to find and c) which companies/industries are of particular interest to you. A very good friend of mine has taken this approach and within one week obtained 3 strong leads on jobs that are a) a great match for his skills set, b) desired pay range and c) viable leads, i.e. he knows someone who can hand his resume to the person who needs to read it in order for him to be called in for an interview.
Even more ideal is if you have the opportunity and gall to actually hand your resume to the person who needs to see it. I have done this on two occasions - once by crashing the going away party of the person whom I hoped to replace (got the interview, not the position), and once by working in the same building already and racing out to the hall when the hiring manager was coming back from the restroom (my "in" called me to let me know when was the right time - and it's the job I currently hold). This is a tricky approach and you must have the connections and gumption to be able to pull it off, but if you can, it is well worth it.
2. The Resume and Cover Letter - Personalization is a must!
Now obviously the resume you post on Monster.com will not be personalized, though it should be focused for the career that you want and use the verbiage that matches that career.
If you are applying for a specific job, your resume and cover letter MUST match the job description. You don't want to leave anything to the reader’s interpretation. That being said, you should never lie on a resume - it is bad karma for one and second it is simply foolish. I find that I give this advice to many people and they feel like it's too much work. The bottom line though is this - looking for a job is a full time job.
This is my approach:
First, take the job description and two highlighters of different colors. With one color, highlight every verb. These are things that will be covered in your resume. In some cases, job descriptions are without verbs. In this case, highlight all the specific tasks or responsibilities and qualifications in your resume color.
Next, highlight all of the softer skills and personality traits in another color. This will be what you cover on your cover letter.
Now the writing begins...
The cover letter is broken down into several distinct paragraphs:
1. I am writing in regards to xyz position which I viewed on xyz website (or heard about from your xyz employee).
2. Your need for someone with such and such experience is a good match for my x number of years experience doing just that. Here you may also include some of those soft skills. For example, "Your need for diligent staff who are cost conscious is an ideal match for my work ethic." and "Your search for someone with extensive accounting experience is a perfect match for my 9 years of full charge bookkeeping experience."
3. Delve a little deeper. In this paragraph you want to tie specific instances at your previous employment to the skill set they are seeking. Example, "I believe my experience doing xyz best demonstrates the skills you are seeking. During this project I ... (insert results oriented sentences here which match the hard and soft skills they are seeking but be careful not to repeat your resume text). I often use the Give Missourians a Raise Campaign for this section... "My diligent work resulted in success on election day when 76% of Missouri voters approved the proposition to raise the minimum wage in Missouri."
4. If there are additional points to cover, do so here and follow a similar format as paragraph 3.
5. Closing line - I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about xyz position, please call me at your convenience (include your number).
Each of these is brief paragraph with no more than 4 sentences. They should get directly to the point while linking their needs to your experience.
The resume is verb filled and results oriented!
• Do ensure that every line begins with a verb. Ideally these are the verbs and tasks outlined in the position description.
• Do pay attention to the details and consistency in formatting.
• Do ensure that you cover every single point of what they are seeking. If there's something they are looking for that you do not have, either skip it or address it directly by letting them know that one of your skills is your ability to learn quickly or independently. Another alternative is to research what they want. Most recently this came up with a company who wanted someone familiar with "trust accounting." After a few minutes of research the job applicant realized he knew much more than he thought and he had comparable experience. As always, if it's not true, don't put it on your resume.
• Do proofread. If you right that you have "hi attention to detail" it is not only untrue it is laughable. And yes, people gather over resumes and cover letters and laugh. (Note, spell check won't catch a mistake like that either - you MUST PROOF and ask others to proof for you).
• Do include a "skills" section which will cover any software knowledge the employer requires and any other skills. This section should begin with an adjective which describes your skill level, e.g. "Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Strong presentation skills, Excellent interpersonal communication skills" and so on.
• Do not feel trapped by making your resume go in a timeline. Your relevant experience should be front and center.
I believe this is enough to get any job seeker started. I know it reads like it's a lot of work and it is. For this reason I strongly believe you should only apply to positions for which you really believe are a good fit for your skills, your goals and your lifestyle. If you believe the job is right for you, it will be much easier to convey that during the writing and interview process.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Diverse Dinner Party or Not?
This past Friday night I had the joy of hosting a dinner party for some of my closest friends. I was intrigued when one of the attendees complimented me on the diversity represented by the attendees. I didn't think it was that diverse of a crowd so I asked her how she meant...
She saw:
1 Woman in her early 20s, looking to figure things out, college student
1 Lesbian with her stuff together who's spent her life fighting to get ahead - well employed, mother, graduate student and so on
1 Nicaraguan with little in common with anyone else at the table
1 well employed guy in his late 20s employed in the study of brain waves
1 host in her late 20s with a professional job at a non-profit
I saw:
4 white folks educated by the same university, 3 of which had the same major - at least part of the time
1 boyfriend from Nicaragua
Then I started thinking about all the ways this group of five could be divided based on religion, income, family, gender and so on. How we can be divided is not important though, so....
My thought process then drifted to questions about what diversity means, and how we see diversity and how our own backgrounds affect our ability to see diversity. To me, my friends are my friends and I see much more what we have in common than I see our differences. When I bring people together, I focus on what people have in common, how people can be included and what people can gain by getting to know one another.
When I think of diversity, perhaps because of my employment, I think specifically of minorities based on ethnic background or country of origin. I rarely think of the actual diversity in our life experiences, which can be just as important - especially for expanding one's mind!
So, was my dinner party diverse, or not?
Comments welcome, as always!
She saw:
1 Woman in her early 20s, looking to figure things out, college student
1 Lesbian with her stuff together who's spent her life fighting to get ahead - well employed, mother, graduate student and so on
1 Nicaraguan with little in common with anyone else at the table
1 well employed guy in his late 20s employed in the study of brain waves
1 host in her late 20s with a professional job at a non-profit
I saw:
4 white folks educated by the same university, 3 of which had the same major - at least part of the time
1 boyfriend from Nicaragua
Then I started thinking about all the ways this group of five could be divided based on religion, income, family, gender and so on. How we can be divided is not important though, so....
My thought process then drifted to questions about what diversity means, and how we see diversity and how our own backgrounds affect our ability to see diversity. To me, my friends are my friends and I see much more what we have in common than I see our differences. When I bring people together, I focus on what people have in common, how people can be included and what people can gain by getting to know one another.
When I think of diversity, perhaps because of my employment, I think specifically of minorities based on ethnic background or country of origin. I rarely think of the actual diversity in our life experiences, which can be just as important - especially for expanding one's mind!
So, was my dinner party diverse, or not?
Comments welcome, as always!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
A Day at St. Louis Public Radio
I am an avid listener and fan of KWMU, 90.7 - my local public radio station. In fact, I'm listening right now.
If you're a listener too, then you've probably heard the "my source" pieces that others have recorded. I decided I wanted to record one too so I emailed the station to let them know what KWMU is my source for and I in return I was invited to tour the station and record my piece.
It was very exciting to see the layout of the station, meet the people behind the scenes and participate in a project that makes an impact on the station. As a listener and member, I value the station more than words can possibly describe and I found myself in a position to give back even more, without actually spending more.
By now you may be wondering what KWMU is my source for and I'll tell you...
I listen all the time and I love Diane Rehm, Talk of the Nation, Market Place, Science Friday, Tell Me More and St. Louis on the Air. During the national programs I find myself waiting to hear, "...and now to a caller from St. Louis, Missouri..." Listening daily for over a decade, I've come to realize there are a lot of public radio listeners in town and they usually call in with pretty smart questions. St. Louis Public Radio is my source for pride in my local community!
Do you listen to public radio all the time too? If so, check out their my source page and send them a note to share why you listen too. This is a remarkable way to give back to our source for balanced news reporting and intelligent talk. Not to mention, if you're sick of hearing the same "my source" pieces repeated, here's your chance to change that. The more stories they have, the less they need to play the same ones repeatedly.
Support public radio.
If you're a listener too, then you've probably heard the "my source" pieces that others have recorded. I decided I wanted to record one too so I emailed the station to let them know what KWMU is my source for and I in return I was invited to tour the station and record my piece.
It was very exciting to see the layout of the station, meet the people behind the scenes and participate in a project that makes an impact on the station. As a listener and member, I value the station more than words can possibly describe and I found myself in a position to give back even more, without actually spending more.
By now you may be wondering what KWMU is my source for and I'll tell you...
I listen all the time and I love Diane Rehm, Talk of the Nation, Market Place, Science Friday, Tell Me More and St. Louis on the Air. During the national programs I find myself waiting to hear, "...and now to a caller from St. Louis, Missouri..." Listening daily for over a decade, I've come to realize there are a lot of public radio listeners in town and they usually call in with pretty smart questions. St. Louis Public Radio is my source for pride in my local community!
Do you listen to public radio all the time too? If so, check out their my source page and send them a note to share why you listen too. This is a remarkable way to give back to our source for balanced news reporting and intelligent talk. Not to mention, if you're sick of hearing the same "my source" pieces repeated, here's your chance to change that. The more stories they have, the less they need to play the same ones repeatedly.
Support public radio.
Twitter Basics Part 2
As a follow up on “Twitter Basics” here are some screen shots which show exactly how usernames may be hyperlinked in twitter posts and how effective use of this tool will ensure your post is seen by those you mention.
These screen shots were taken from Tweetvisor.com, which is the tool I use to view and manage my tweets. There are many tools out there. I use this one because it’s web based and I like what shows up on the screen - a status update box, my replies (or mentions), my direct messages and my twitter stream. This Twitter Cheat Sheet is helpful for exploring a multitude of Twitter tools.
These screen shots were taken from Tweetvisor.com, which is the tool I use to view and manage my tweets. There are many tools out there. I use this one because it’s web based and I like what shows up on the screen - a status update box, my replies (or mentions), my direct messages and my twitter stream. This Twitter Cheat Sheet is helpful for exploring a multitude of Twitter tools.
HYPERLINKING A USERNAME IN YOUR STATUS UPDATE
Here you can see I typed the @ before the username “paperdress” and I used the built in URL shortener to include a hyperlink to the blog post I refer to in my status update.
Once I post my update, @paperdress is hyperlinked to http://www.twitter.com/paperdressgirl which will take one to paperdress’ Twitter stream, where one could then chose to follow her:
REPLIES & MENTIONS
Below you can see samples of my replies section. This is where I see every tweet with my username, which includes mentions and retweets. This first one shows me thanking @gmatlinks for mentioning me in his follow Friday tweet.
In the next tweet, @cristinacr wants to get my attention so she’s used the @ symbol and my username to ensure that her tweet will show up in my replies section instead of getting lost in a stream of countless tweets. Anyone who views her stream may click on my username and be taken to my stream to see who I am and why she’s tweeting me.
Follow Friday tweets are a way to tell your followers of others who they might want to follow. In this case, the usernames suggest that all these users are tweeting about grad school preparation. Each is formatted so that it will appear as a hyperlink to those users’ twitter profiles.
RETWEETS
In following two tweets, @akilbello and @riordanprograms have been kind enough to retweet my message. By doing this, their followers see my initial tweet. With only 140 characters to pass on a message, you can expect that liberties may be taken with your original message. Here you can see @riordanprograms shortened some of my words and added context but the point of the message remains clear.
Etiquette calls for me to thank both of them, which I usually do through direct messages.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Twitter Basics
When creating your account and username, keep in mind your personal brand. You will see a lot of people use aliases or avatars instead of their name. This is not recommended. Use your name if you want to build your brand.
Second, don’t tweet until you are comfortable. You can follow and get a sense of what’s going on, what kind of stuff you find interesting, what bores you (for me, it’s people who go to Vegas for the weekend and tweet the entire time about how their poker games are going).
To make the most of twitter and social networking, don’t protect your updates. Keep an open profile so anyone interested in getting to know you can. At the same time, be mindful of what you tweet and recognize that it goes on your permanent record. All of it.
And some basics:
@username
The “@” plus a username equals a hyperlink, e.g. @racheldelcau
When you reply to someone, your tweet will begin with @theirusername.
If you want to get someone’s attention, you can also put this at the beginning or in the body of your tweet. It’s sort of like saying “Hey Rachel!” Any tweets with your @username will appear in a section of your profile called replies. Most mobile applications have a similar section.
Mentions
This is when a username is placed in the midst of a tweet. Generally speaking, if you refer to someone using twitter you should include their username in the aforementioned format so it’s a link for others. Here are a few examples of using mentions to refer to individuals and other entities.
Racheldelcau: Chatting with @onethatcan about setting up an Entrepreneurs group for Consortium members.
Racheldelcau: listening @onpointradio on @kwmu – great show!
RT = retweet
This is like a forward. An example of when to use this:
Racheldelcau: The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions.
Onethatcan: RT @racheldelcau The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions.
My initial tweet is viewed by my followers. When you retweet it, all your followers see the message. Etiquette calls for including the original tweeters username and making clear any additions you’ve included. Etiquette also calls for thanking folks when they retweet your message.
Onethatcan: RT @racheldelcau The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions. [I’m a Consortium alumnus!]
DM = Direct Message
This is what you do if you want to send someone a “private” message. Example of proper format below:
DM @racheldelcau Help me learn how to tweet pleeeeze!
This message would show up in my DM “folder” on either twitter or my mobile app but not publicly. Also, all your tweets except your DMs show up in your “twitter stream” which is what’s on your profile page. If you click on any of the hyperlinks to my profile above, you will see my most recent 25 tweets. Under my name you can chose to follow me if you’re logged in.
Follow me @racheldelcau.
I hope this introduction to Twitter helps you find your way. Please feel free to provide feedback!
Second, don’t tweet until you are comfortable. You can follow and get a sense of what’s going on, what kind of stuff you find interesting, what bores you (for me, it’s people who go to Vegas for the weekend and tweet the entire time about how their poker games are going).
To make the most of twitter and social networking, don’t protect your updates. Keep an open profile so anyone interested in getting to know you can. At the same time, be mindful of what you tweet and recognize that it goes on your permanent record. All of it.
And some basics:
@username
The “@” plus a username equals a hyperlink, e.g. @racheldelcau
When you reply to someone, your tweet will begin with @theirusername.
If you want to get someone’s attention, you can also put this at the beginning or in the body of your tweet. It’s sort of like saying “Hey Rachel!” Any tweets with your @username will appear in a section of your profile called replies. Most mobile applications have a similar section.
Mentions
This is when a username is placed in the midst of a tweet. Generally speaking, if you refer to someone using twitter you should include their username in the aforementioned format so it’s a link for others. Here are a few examples of using mentions to refer to individuals and other entities.
Racheldelcau: Chatting with @onethatcan about setting up an Entrepreneurs group for Consortium members.
Racheldelcau: listening @onpointradio on @kwmu – great show!
RT = retweet
This is like a forward. An example of when to use this:
Racheldelcau: The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions.
Onethatcan: RT @racheldelcau The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions.
My initial tweet is viewed by my followers. When you retweet it, all your followers see the message. Etiquette calls for including the original tweeters username and making clear any additions you’ve included. Etiquette also calls for thanking folks when they retweet your message.
Onethatcan: RT @racheldelcau The Consortium offers full ride fellowships to full-time MBA students at 15 top-tier institutions. [I’m a Consortium alumnus!]
DM = Direct Message
This is what you do if you want to send someone a “private” message. Example of proper format below:
DM @racheldelcau Help me learn how to tweet pleeeeze!
This message would show up in my DM “folder” on either twitter or my mobile app but not publicly. Also, all your tweets except your DMs show up in your “twitter stream” which is what’s on your profile page. If you click on any of the hyperlinks to my profile above, you will see my most recent 25 tweets. Under my name you can chose to follow me if you’re logged in.
Follow me @racheldelcau.
I hope this introduction to Twitter helps you find your way. Please feel free to provide feedback!
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