Make Money Easy For You

Bumper Sticker On Cars

So, I’m sitting in morning rush hour traffic today, and getting some entertainment from reading the oodles of bumper stickers on the car in front of me. There were so many plastered on the rear of their car that I had to really look to see what color the car really was. It was blue. I know that bumper stickers are a great way to express yourself to the entire world, but pick something in particular. Don’t have bumper stickers for every cause that exists. Honestly, this car had political stickers, foul language, humorous sayings and abortion stickers all over the place. I’m not sure if they knew what they believed in. The absolute best part of this was that on one side of the car they had a bumper sticker that said ‘Jesus Loves You’ and on the other side was a sticker that said ‘Evolve’. Um, okay – that makes no sense whatsoever.

Almost everywhere you go anymore sells bumper stickers. They say everything imaginable and hold nothing back. I’m not a big fan of censorship but I don’t need to see offensive words staring at me from the back of someone’s car. Nor does my pre-teen. It is great to want to show the world what your personality or interests are, but do so respectfully.

During election time, which is upon us, I always enjoy seeing the political bumper stickers that people actually permanently stick onto their vehicles. Have you ever tried to remove a bumper stickers? It isn’t easy. Anyway, my opinion on who to vote for isn’t going to be changed by how many bumper stickers I see for each candidate. I have never been on my way to vote and still up in the air about who I want to cast my vote for, seen a bumper sticker with someone’s name on it and said, “That’s who I’ll vote for.” Perhaps some people do make their decisions that way, but I definitely don’t. I love seeing the vehicles with the political bumper stickers after the election is over. Even if they lost, they need to drive around with the bumper sticker that basically now says Loser on it.

Bumper stickers aren’t just used for humorous or political purposes. Many companies advertise by passing out bumper stickers. Their employees might put them on their vehicles. I had a company make me do that once, and instead of permanently putting it on my bumper and ruining the quality of my car, I taped it on the inside of my rear window. It had the same effect and I had the comfort of knowing it wasn’t going to be there forever. I might have to reconsider having bumper stickers if my daughter ever makes it on the honor roll….

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Help Disabled People Find A Job

In 2004 there were currently 7 million disabled people of employment age in the UK, but less than 3.5 million of them are working.
Seventy-percent of working age Americans with disabilities are unemployed. Finding jobs is not easy.
A number of not-for-profit organizations are trying to help. They advised employers to be more open-minded about disabled people.
Rodbourne based “Working for Opportunities” (WfO) says preconception makes life hard for people like Rebecca Davies that has Asperger’s Syndrome. She works as a steward at the County Ground. The interview process disadvantages her although Rebecca has a wide range of skills that get interviews. She thinks her disability usually gives a false impression of her. Rebecca compares the formal interview with a climb on Mount Everest.
“I am very good at learning new things and I like following clear instructions and procedures shown to me by an understanding person who is patient and doesn’t mind answering my questions.
“I am hard-working, punctual, and friendly with good observation skills that could benefit a company within the security sector or involved with quality testing. I have been a football steward for three years and am used to reacting and communicate in sometimes difficult circumstances in a calm and responsible manner.”
“I would like someone to trust me sufficiently to give me a reasonable work trial to prove my capabilities in filling a known or planned vacancy.”
The positive side of people with Asperger’s Syndrome is that they make good employees. In the workplace people with Asperger’s Syndrome like structure and routine in employment, are punctual, can work alone, are meticulous, pay great attention to detail, take pride in their work, and can handle repetitive tasks.
More agencies need to focus their attention on Asperger Syndrome and on ways of assisting people find employment.

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And To All A Goodnight!

You’ve just spent a good part of the evening preparing your baby for bed. As she falls asleep in your arms you tenderly place her in her cot; her eyes flash open and she screams the house down. So you lift her and start all over again!

One of the most frustrating things about having a baby who refuses to sleep in her cot is that you know she is exhausted – because you are also exhausted.

So is there a panacea for this timeless problem?

Routine is a great teacher. But getting into one is not so easy. It takes time and perseverance on your part. But at the end of the day it makes for a happy family.

Try to have a set bedtime. As it approaches, watch for signs that your baby is getting tired. She may cry for a prolonged period and only settle when you lift her. Or she may rub her eyes or pull at her ears. Try to notice such signs, because if she gets over-tired it will become more difficult to settle her.

A warm bath can be a wonderful way to prepare baby for sleep. You may like to try adding a few drops of essential lavender oil as it is renowned for its relaxing properties. Or add some specially formulated sleepy baby bubble bath.

Avoid playing with the baby during her bedtime bath. You do not want to get her excited as this will have the opposite effect to that intended! Simply trickle some warm bath water over her as she lies in the bath.

After bathing, many babies are very receptive to a baby massage. Play some soft music as you massage her.

You can give a dry massage, without oil, or an oily massage using extra virgin olive oil. If you do intend using any oil place a small amount of it on her inside arm and leave for about ten minutes. Check to ensure there has been no reaction before massaging her.

If she is fine, rub a small amount of oil, about the size of a ten pence coin, into your hands. This will warm the oil and not shock the baby! Do not rush the massage. Keep it slow. She will let you know if she is not happy. If this is the case, end the session. Try again the following night.

There are lots of good baby massage books available which show you a variety of massage techniques. And many organisations run free courses. Ask your health visitor to keep you informed.

After her massage, give baby a cuddle and dress her for bed. Keep your movements slow. This will ensure she stays calm.
Some babies enjoy a feed before sleeping, so you may like to feed her after her bath. If she is breastfed she may fall asleep on the breast. It is best to waken her before placing her in her cot as babies can get frightened if they awaken in different surroundings to those in which they fell asleep.

New parents, and even experienced parents, can often be indecisive about what is required for the baby to settle in her cot. Should baby go to sleep in the dark? Or should you leave a light on? Should you play music? Or is silence better?

For many parents the solution is to leave a small, dim, night-light on so that baby will not be frightened if she awakens later on. It is also a good idea to play a soothing lullaby CD and leave it playing quietly on repeat. Play the same CD every night and baby will begin to look forward to bedtime! Babies love repetition. It makes them feel secure.

Babies are never too young for a bedtime story or a lullaby. And many babies have a favourite bedtime story that they like to hear every night before sleeping.

If your baby gets upset when you place her in the cot, stay with her for a few moments. Tell her firmly that it is bedtime and say goodnight. Leave the room, but stay nearby. Allow her to cry for around thirty seconds. Return to the room and again say goodnight. Do not chat! If she is standing up, lie her down. She will probably scramble straight back onto her feet! Leave the room again.

Each time wait slightly longer before returning. It can be a good idea to move around nearby, but not in the same room, and allow baby to hear that you are nearby. You may like to hum a tune or chat to your partner. Avoid keeping the whole house silent. Babies need to learn to sleep through some noise.

If baby gets very distressed, simply return to her and comfort her with a little hug. And then lie her down. It can be incredibly difficult to refrain from lifting her. But be assured that eventually she will fall asleep.

Within two or three nights most babies stop protesting and have learnt what bedtime means. Many happily lie down and fall straight to sleep once the routine is established. As a result your baby will be happier and so too will your family!

Goodnight!

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The Art of the Resume

Step One: Targeting Your Career & Audience
In order to maximize the impact of your resume for your targeted audience — the hiring manager— you must have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish.

Pinpoint Your Goal
Before you begin, ask yourself these questions. Are you:
• Making a lateral move?
• Seeking a promotion?
• Career transitioning?
• Pursuing admission into an academic program?

Match Yourself to the Job

When you look at a job listing, highlight the qualifications that are required and the duties that you would be expected to assume. Every match in terms of required qualifications and your experience should serve as a keyword in your resume.
Knowing how you match up to a potential position will provide focus, so that your resume can be tailored to your targeted audience. The more closely the content of your resume matches the content of these postings, the more likely you will be asked to interview. Be careful, though, not to simply repeat phrases found in a job listing. Your goal is to demonstrate your understanding of the role and your applicable experience.

Step Two: Formatting for Maximum Impact
When your resume is reviewed, it must be appealing, while accurately reflecting your industry or career goal. If it’s not — no matter how brilliantly it is written — it will likely be added to the rejection stack. To ensure that your resume receives the attention it deserves, it’s important to adhere to certain formatting guidelines, which address:
• Template and font choice
• Effective use of white space
• Prioritization of data

Be easy to follow
There is nothing worse than a resume where data is presented in a haphazard manner. That’s why templates are used. An effective template will present company names, dates, job titles, academic information, and all other pertinent data in a clear manner, so that a quick glance will tell the contact person what they need to know.

Be easy to read
Resumes in bold text or italics are difficult to read and unprofessional. The same goes for fonts that resemble handwriting. It’s a common misconception that “jazzing up a resume” will get it read. It’s not the font that attracts attention, but rather the overall appearance and the words crafted within it.
When in doubt about font choice, always err on the conservative side. Two good choices are Times New Roman or Arial in 11 points — no smaller, or the text will be difficult to read.

Step Three: Qualifications Summary & Skill Set
Picture yourself at the market after a long day at the office. You’re in a rush, and want only those items on your list, if they’re on sale. Hurrying into the store, you glance around for the weekly advertising piece that indicates what’s on sale. Trouble is, there’s no advertising piece, and no one to answer your questions. If you want to purchase the items you need at a discount, you’re forced to walk up and down each and every aisle until you find what’s available.
Doesn’t sound like an effective use of time, does it? And yet this is the same type of frustration hiring managers are exposed to every time an applicant submits a resume that fails to open with a well-written Qualifications Summary and/or Skill Set.

What is a Qualifications Summary?
It’s a brief paragraph that showcases your most effective skills and experience. More importantly, it’s your chance to convince a hiring manager of the skills you can bring to the position. This is essential — hiring managers generally afford no more than 10 seconds to your resume, unless they’re compelled to read further.
So, how do you compel them to keep reading?

Let’s use this example: You’re an accountant who has worked at XYZ Company for nine years and been promoted every time you’ve come up for review. Because of your organizational efforts, the company is saving $2,500 monthly. You’ve passed the CPA exam. You’re skilled in Profit & Loss (P&L), audits, taxation matters, and internal controls. Now, you want a Controller position.

Rather than including all of this in the body of the resume, where the hiring manager would be forced to look for it (but won’t), the wise candidate would write something like this:
Results-oriented, detailed professional with comprehensive accounting experience. Background includes consistent promotions to positions of increased responsibility. Skilled in P&L, audits, taxation, internal controls, and streamlining procedures, effecting a monthly savings of $2,500 at XYZ Company. Recently passed the CPA exam; currently seeking a controller position.

In five lines, you’ve given specific examples of what you can do, quantified an accomplishment, indicated past performance, provided data on certification, and provided your career path. And you’ve done all of that in a well-written paragraph that’s easy to read.

Note that personal pronouns are not used here. In business writing, which includes resumes, personal pronouns such as I, me, or my are never used.

Step Four: Accomplishments & Special Skills
There is nothing on your resume more important than your Accomplishments. Why? Think of it this way: you’re a hiring manager with one position to fill and 10 qualified candidates. Each candidate has the same basic educational and professional background. So, who gets the job?

What is a Quantified Accomplishment?
A quantified Accomplishment should include dollar figures, percentages, and time periods. For example: An accountant has streamlined procedures, realizing a $2,500 monthly savings for his company. A dollar figure quantifies the accomplishment, while noting “streamlined procedures” explains how he did it. If he achieved those savings within three months of hire, it might be written this way:
Achieved a $2,500 monthly savings for XYZ Company within three months of hire by streamlining procedures.
Imagine the hiring manager’s reaction to the above, as opposed to this entry: “Streamlined procedures for XYZ Company.” Doesn’t say much, does it?

Special Skills
Special Skills should be presented up front so that a hiring manager knows what you can do. In some instances, a special section (i.e. Computer Skills, Languages, Office Procedures, etc.) should be created to showcase these Special Skills.

Step Five: Professional Experience
In the Professional Experience section of your resume, you will list your employers, job titles, and dates of employment in a reverse-chronological order; that is, your most recent job comes first, followed by your next most recent job, and so on. This format is standard and is expected by all hiring managers and admission directors.

Employment Dates

Generally speaking, hiring managers prefer years of employment, rather than months and years (i.e. 1999 – 2003 as opposed to May 1999 – April 2003). However, some college admission programs want specifics when it comes to dates, so it’s best to use precise dates when applying to graduate school.

In the Professional Experience section, you will also include daily tasks and responsibilities beneath the appropriate employer listing. If you’ve included a Career Accomplishments section in your resume, you should not repeat that data here. Once data is presented in a resume, it must not be repeated.

To ensure that your daily tasks are presented in an interesting and easy-to-read manner, you should do the following:

Use a bulleted format
This breaks up large blocks of text that could prove daunting to a hiring manager.

Begin each sentence with an action verb
This quickens the pace of your writing and makes the text more enjoyable to read.

Step Six: Education & Training

Data provided in the Education section of your resume should be prioritized (and included) according to:
• Your current career level (entry-level, as opposed to professional)
• The purpose of your resume
• The country in which your resume will be distributed
• Your current career level

The Impact of Experience

If you’re an entry-level candidate with little or no professional experience, your education should be presented immediately after the Qualifications Summary and/or skills area. The reasoning for this is that education is currently your most marketable asset. Here, you would include:
• GPA (if 3.5 or above)
• Awards/scholarships
• Dean’s list
• Coursework relevant to job search

If you’re a professional with five or more years of experience, Education should be listed last on your resume. GPAs, awards or scholarships, and mention of dean’s lists are not generally provided in a professional or executive resume, except for those used for entrance into graduate school programs.

Conclusion
Give hiring managers what they’re looking for- a complete, easy-to-read resume that highlights important information which differentiates you from other candidates. By doing so, your resume will stand out from the crowd and get you an interview.

Read more: The Art of the Resume