I thought you might enjoy this photography project by Emily Martin. These are her original photographs, set to "Say" by John Mayer.

Good work, Emily. We hope to see more of your work.

        

Even if you're the best candidate for a job, sometimes getting the hiring manager to notice your resume—especially when the competition is fierce—can be your biggest bridge to cross. Here are some helpful tips to get your resume to the top of the stack.

1. Tailor your objective to the job description. This might sound fairly obvious, but if you're a sales manager, chances are that your objective states you're seeking a position in which you can utilize your sales management experience. If the pickings are slim and you're willing to accept a senior sales position, the hiring manager might pass right over your resume if your objective indicates that you wouldn't be satisfied with the job they have to fill.
   
   
2. Include a personalized cover letter. This is your chance to show your personality and make an argument for why the hiring manager should consider you for the position. It is an overview of what you bring to the table—it's more than an objective or mundane details about your job history—it's introduces the human element into the equation. In short, if you can't take the initiative upfront, then you probably aren't the right fit longterm.
   
   
3. Scrap the Times New Roman and other outdated fonts. This is especially important if you are applying for a position in a technologically-advanced environment. Select a clean, easy-to-read font such as Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri. Also, don't select a font size that would require a carnival mirror to read. A medium size of 8 or 10 should be sufficient.
   
   
4. If you must have more than a one page resume, include your name on each page. What do you suppose happens if your second or third page becomes detached from the first page? It becomes a guessing game for the hiring manager. Simply include your name and page x of x in the footer of the document.
   
   
5. Trim the fluff and up the substance. There's no need to convey each and every responsibility you held at your previous job. Instead, try to highlight three to four of your contributions or successes. For example, if you are an Executive Assistant you might have the following responsibility listed on your resume: "Arrange all business travel and accommodations." Since that's a pretty predictable responsibility, you might want to focus on contributions you've made to the organization in relation to that skill. For example, maybe you established a relationship with a local travel agent and negotiated a discount for repeat business. If that's the case, you can transform your "Arrange all business travel and accommodations" into "Reduced recurring corporate travel expenses by negotiating discounts." If you can include an approximate dollar amount, that's even better! Who wouldn't want to hire someone that will ultimately save them money?

 

        

It seemed that a beautiful collection of historic arts and crafts Flint Faience tiles would become just a memory after the school in which they were installed had permanently closed. But Royal Oak mom and PTA member, Diana Barrer, chaired a committee to preserve, restore, and reinstall the tiles at Addams Elementary. The historic tiles, which had been enjoyed by several generations of Royal Oak school children, can now be enjoyed by generations to come—thanks to efforts of Diana, area tile artist Laurie Eisenhardt , and historic tile installer Larry Mobley.

Source: http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2008/10-01-08/RE-TILES.asp

        

The new schmen.com is a Web site fully dedicated to fabulous women. What makes a woman fabulous? Being true to herself and following her dreams. She doesn't let society dictate how she should act or feel. She doesn't let well-meaning family or friends discourage her. She has her own set of priorities—whether it's to be a full-time mom, student, entrepreneur, board executive, animal rights activist, mechanic, designer, star chef—or all of the above.

Chances are that you're a fabulous woman too, but you might not feel that way if you do not receive the support you deserve, or if you're too busy trying to compete for a lifestyle that doesn't even appeal to you deep down. Can you relate to that? Furthermore, if women aren't guilted into putting the needs of others ahead of their own, they often don't receive the encouragement they need to continue on their own personal mission. This is what I hope to change.

The schmen.com blog is a place where you can read about women who are accomplishing the things that matter to them—from saving antique tiles in an elementary school undergoing renovations, to starting a drug-free support program for at-risk children.

Schmen.com allows you to access innovative and unique products from business women, as well as participate in the NEW forum* where women will openly share their tips for success and give words of encouragement.

The truth is, when you work toward a dream that resonates with you, you experience pride and a boost of confidence in your abilities. These are feelings that are invaluable to your overall happiness and sense of worth. I hope that by sharing stories of women who are experiencing these rewards for themselves, that it will encourage any woman who is not fulfilled by the life that she is living to reach for her goals and realize her dreams for a happier, joy-filled life. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.


*The forum will be ready and available by mid-December.