Is Your Resume Working?

You have probably never heard of Chip Kidd, yet he's
one of the most influential non-authors in the book
business.

For the past 20 years Chip has been on the design
team at Alfred A Knopf publishers. He is the Michael
Jordon of the book design business, and has designed
such books as Jurassic Park. He has created
100's of covers and has recently released his own book
with samples of some of the designs; "Chip Kidd: Book
One".

The secret to his success is this; you CAN tell the book
by its cover. His design philosophy is radical and
unconventional. He has a unique ability to combine
font and images that work together to get your
attention. Have you ever walked into a book store and
been overwhelmed by all the choices? Chip Kidd makes
sure that his books stand out from the crowd.

The writers do what they do, Chip does what he does,
and the publishers make all the money (well, not all).
Chip's role is to help package and tell a story in 30
seconds or less that will compel you to choose the
book he has designed. All of his book covers are
unique and he tries his best to represent what the
author is saying and to whom he wishes to say it. For
good and for bad, a lot of buying decisions are made as
a result of the cover.

Not unlike a book cover, a resume also has to package
and tell a story in a short period of time. Did you know
that you have less than 2 minutes to grab a hiring
manager's attention? This is the reality of the job
search - a great resume gets attention. No matter
how talented the person may or may not be, hiring
managers make decisions first by the paper they
see.

When creating resumes, just like in the book business,
it's important to remember that writers don't make good
designers. Most people can't write great resumes for
themselves. That is where we can help. Our certified
resume coaches have the ability, just like Chip, to make
your story interesting, captivating, and ultimately, the
one that will help your resume be chosen above all the
noise.

Check out our resume service at http://www.careerjoy.com/services/resume.cfm.

Paul McCartney's Career Advice

Paul - he's been a quarryman, Beatle, Wing, Poet,
Painter, Father, Front Man, Producer, Business Mogul,
and if that weren't enough, a Knight.

You may or may not have seen the new ads put out by
Fidelity Investments. Paul is their new global
representative - using the extra money to pay for the
rising fuel costs in his new private jet no doubt (even
the rich are impacted by $70 a barrel oil prices).

I find it interesting that a financial services company is
speaking to the market about career management
issues. There is another financial company talking
about that issue as well, called Freedom 55.

I like Paul's pitch better; freedom now, who wants
to wait until 55 to be free? You may not make it.
This company and their marketing machine are quite
clever.

Four facts:

1 They are hitting a huge, growing need for career
fulfillment

2. When you are fulfilled, you will become a lot
wealthier

3. When you are wealthier, you will invest more with
them

4. They, in turn, will become wealthier.

Wealth is personal. There are lots of measurements
more important than what our friends at Fidelity, or
Paul for that matter, define. However, like Paul, when
you do what you love, lots of "wealth"
follows.

The key is, never stop doing what you love. I
agree.

Are you having trouble identifying what it is that you
might love to do? You're not alone. Our Career
Identity Program for Professionals might be right for
you. Visit us on the Web at http://www.careerjoy.com/services/careerid.cfm.

How to Make Sure You Give the Right Information in an Interview

Brad Chartrand plays for the Los Angeles Kings. He has
been playing hockey for a number of years (except, of
course, for last season!) Brad and 700 other players
had an extended summer holiday.

A number of players went overseas; however, Brad and
his wife decided to move back to Saratoga Springs,
N.Y. To stay in shape, he decided to start playing pick
up hockey with some of the guys in town. Not knowing
anyone, he called the local conveynor of the league to
ask if there was any space on the team. The
conversation went something like this:

Brad: "Hi my name is Brad, is there any space on your
team?"

Convenor: "Nope"

Brad: "Can I be put on a back-up list?"

Convenor: "No such thing."

Brad: "You should start a list, in case someone can't
make it."

Convenor: "OK, I'll start list. What is your name and
number, and, oh, what level of hockey did you play last
year?"

Brad: "I played NHL last year."

Convenor: (LONG pause) "Bulls@#$!"

Brad: "Look it up."

Convenor: (VERY long pause) "Gee, it's amazing, we
just had a spot open up on our team. You start
Wednesday at 9:00!"

Lesson learned: when you are in an interview situation,
never take for granted what you know, and who you
know. The person interviewing you doesn't know as
much about you as you think. Get the important
details and differentiations out early. You may get a
spot on the team!

Do you need help with the interview process? Check
out our 90 Day Career Search Program, which includes
researching and role playing for interview preparation.

For more information, visit us on the Web at
http://www.careerjoy.com/services/90day.cfm.

Why is Having a Career Difficult?

Why are careers so difficult? This question has led me to think about the famous line from Scott Peck’s book, "The Road Less Traveled".

Scott Peck, the author of that famous book, died recently at the age of 69. He was a psychiatrist and author and self help guru. His most famous books sold 10 million copies and were on the New York Times bestseller list for over 8 years.

I am not sure if you have read "The Road Less Traveled", however, one of the reasons it is famous is a result of the first line - "Life is difficult" - which essentially was the thesis of his book. Mr. Peck’s premise was that once you understood this, and entered into life with this understanding, it would really help to frame your expectations and results. So this is the human experience, imperfect in all its ways.

So it is with careers. We often think that if:

1. We go to a good school

2. We graduate

3. We get a Job and

4. We work hard and are nice

that we will live “career” happily ever after.

I think we should accept that managing a career is challenging and fraught with danger and opportunity. Then, when things don't go the way we expect or there are injustices or challenges, we are not surprised, but accept them for what they are. Any other expectation is inaccurate. We have to take our careers seriously, but with the understanding that we can't always control the outcomes.

If we see it any differently, then we are naïve. I don't think this is being negative -I would say I am an optimist and a pragmatist. Look for the good and expect challenges, so that when they happen, you won't be thrown off.

Do you want to talk about your career hurdles and challenges? Why not give us a call. We can help you find the right perspective.