Resume help wanted, apply within

There are plenty of places to go for help in writing a resume if you're willing to pay. And there are probably fewer, but still good, people who will help review resumes for free. Today I went to one of the free ones, and I'm happy to say that other than a few tweaks, my resume seems in good shape. It's a few posts below this one if you're interested, and I plan to rewrite and move a few things around and will have another version posted by early next week.

Today I went to EastBay Works in Concord, where a kind person from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill looked at my resume and gave me a few tips. We also discussed my job search, and I was glad to hear that I'm doing everything right in looking for full-time work. I'm doing everything she said she'd recommend to people hunting for jobs: I'm spending half of my time networking and the other half applying for jobs I find on craigslist, Indeed or other such Web sites; I'm going on informational interviews; I've joined a networking group; I'm volunteering, I'm looking for work I'm qualified for and tyring to move my job skills from one field to another, and I'm doing freelance work related to my field.

Since the top third of a resume is what gets looked at the most and quickest by an employer, she suggested that I move my excellent work experience up and take the "Skills" section and incorporate that into the accomplishments bulleted in my professional experience. I plan to make those changes and to try to spice up the look of the resume by early next week. After that, I'd like to try to find someone who hires for Web writing jobs and see what they think.

Spam I not am

I've had enough of the e-mail spam offering free Viagra, quality medications, and millions of dollars if I'd only help a prince in Nigeria with a money transfer. Can't he go to Western Union? But the e-mail offers of riches got a lot richer when I started posting my resume on job sites such as CareerBuilder.com, which I now loathe.

Hours after applying for a job at CareerBuilder, I was sent the e-mail below (I left out some of the boring details) from a woman with a gmail account, offering me a job. She even calls it a job "scheme." Red flag. It sounds like money laundering. Just check out steps 1, 2 and 3. I cash their check, transfer money, get 8 percent for my troubles. If that's not money laundering, I don't know what is.

"We have reviewed your resume at website CareerBuilder.com and are eager to inform you that we are ready to offer you a vacant position of the "Financial Agent".
The position of the money agent will require from you a half-day activity.Your work will consist in transferring money among our clients.
Job scheme will comprise the following:
1. You get a check by mail.
2. Than you cash it
3. You transfer the money to our clients
Your earning will be 8 % of the amount of each check.
Additionally we are going to effect you $ 1500 as your salary at the end of each month.
Required skills to start this job:
- Honesty, responsibility and promptness in operations;- Prior customer service experience is a good benefit; - Internet and e-mail skills; Experience in online work; Good communications skills
In addition we will be able to offer you $ 2500 as a monthly payment after completion of the trial period.
In case you are interested in the position, please answer this message. We will get in touch with you within 2 working days."

Needless to say, I didn't respond and labeled it as spam. As my dad told me, "If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

During my job hunt, I've also received at least a dozen requests for interviews from insurance companies wanting me to sell insurance. These are probably legit, but I wonder about businesses that can so quickly find my resume and consider me qualified for such a position when I haven't worked in sales since I was a paperboy outside the Fremont BART station selling newspapers one at a time.

The new resume

It may not look as sharp here as it does as e-mail attachment or on paper, but here is the newest and most improved, resume. Let me know your thoughts.

Aaron Crowe
Concord, California 94521
Residence: (925) 680-2557 Cell: (925) 482-5934 aaron.crowe.consulting@gmail.com


Writer/Editor
Editor ~ Researcher ~ Internet writer
Page designer ~ Complex decision making ~ Team Building

SUMMARY
Extensive background in writing and editing news stories and designing pages at daily newspapers as reporter, copy editor and assigning editor. Analytical, critical thinking skills used daily under deadline circumstances. Able to ask probing questions and synthesize complex information into understandable prose. Excellent written and verbal communications skills. Part of a Pulitzer Prize winning team.

SKILLS
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, working as a reporter, copy editor and assigning editor at daily newspapers. Also writing for city publications, blogging, and writing communications for Bay Area Congressman.

Problem solving: Headed weekend coverage at Contra Costa Times, overseeing reporters and working with every department in the newsroom to coordinate newspapers and ensure story packages were complete and accurate.

Analysis: As an assistant metro editor, coordinated news coverage and worked with reporters on getting timely, analytical, accurate news stories daily.

Project management: Oversaw two weekly newspapers at the Contra Costa Times, along with weekend coverage, requiring coordinating many departments.

Employee training: Trained newsroom staff on QuarkXPress for a year and helped with implementation of a new computer system.

EXPERIENCE

July 2008-Present

Owner of AC Consulting, a communications firm offering freelance writing/editing. Clients include city of San Ramon and writing/editing quarterly newsletter for city; United Reporting of Sacramento; and writing biographies for retirement community residents.

Blogger at www.talesofanunemployeddad.blogspot.com, about looking for work while keeping a young daughter occupied.

Volunteer at a Bay Area Congressman's re-election headquarters. Writing and researching for campaign's deputy communications director.

Leader of a Success Team of Community Presbyterian Church Job Connections in Danville, the largest networking group in the Bay Area. I formed and coordinate a Concord group, which meets weekly.

1995-2008
CONTRA COSTA TIMES – Walnut Creek, California
Assistant Metro Editor (2004 – 2008)
Direct supervision of staff, including successful management of all compensation, scheduling, training and employee relations issues.
Responsible for all story budgeting components of four different newspapers owned by the Times.
Led team of reporters throughout Contra Costa County to organize and edit all publications and meet critical deadlines.
Make daily decisions based on complex and conflicting information.
Strong customer service skills exercised both internal and external to the organization.
Critical thinking skills used on a daily basis. Led team of reporters in analytical stories and in-depth projects.
Extended experience interacting with cities and their various branch offices.
Facilitated daily and weekly brainstorming sessions with staff and the management team.
Copy Editor (1995 – 2003)
Extensive editing experience within the Business and News Departments
Responsible for teaching pagination system QuarkXPress to staff.
Design news pages using text, photos and graphics.
Have also worked as copy editor and reporter at newspapers in Fairfield, Tracy and Ridgecrest, California.

AWARDS
Part of 1997 Pulitzer Prize winning team for Public Service for coverage of Grand Forks, N.D. flood.
California Newspaper Publishers Association first-place award for illustration for a weekly publication in 2005.
CNPA second-place award for page layout for a weekly publication in 2005.
CNPA second-place award for public service for a weekly publication in 2005.

EDUCATION
San Jose State University, Bachelor of Arts degree (with distinction) in Journalism, Minor in English

TRAINING
Software training includes Microsoft Word, JazzBox, InDesign, QuarkXPress

Scream of joy

"Daaaady," came the yell that in the second that it screams out of her mouth can denote fear that something terrible just happened, but in this case didn't. "I just made a 'W.'"

Emma was at a table in the living room, trying to write her friend's name on a piece of paper, while I was in the kitchen making dinner tonight. In the hundredth of a second when I heard her yell my name, my mind raced that something had gone wrong. It was nothing. She had written a letter of the alphabet and was thrilled to share the news. So was I. I went over and congratulated her, kissed her on the head and went back to cooking.

It's moments like those, taking only a few seconds, that make me glad I'm home with my daughter, even if I don't have a job. Granted, the same thing would have likely happened if I returned home from a full-time job, but who knows? But while making dinner for the two of us, because the sole bread-winner is away at work for the night, I was thinking how difficult it is to find a job while taking care of a 4-year-old. Finding a job is supposed to be a 40-hour-a-week job, and lately I haven't been close to that many hours. Everyone has commitments that take away from the job search, but for me, giving my daughter my full attention limits the job hunt. For example, we went to the park, went to the store, then home to wash the car and play some more before making dinner, then her bath, Sesame Street, more playing and story reading before off to bed. My mornings are somewhat free, but I'm using much of that time networking, volunteering or working at my part-time job. Where is the time?

I could prop Emma in front of the TV for a few hours and then go online and work on my resume, apply for jobs, make calls, etc., but I'd feel bad about that. So I'm doing what I can to remind myself to enjoy this time with her and make the best of the time we have together. She's only 4 once, and unemployment won't last into her teens.

Rewriting the resume

Writing a successful resume is one of the most difficult parts of the job search. For the past few weeks I've been focusing on rewriting my resume after discovering that it was geared more toward newspapers and less toward other areas where I want to work, such as the Internet. I don't know why it took me months to figure this out, but with the help of someone during an informational interview, I learned that my old resume wasn't going to get me a job. I'm trying new things and expect the next one to do more.

There are tons of Web pages about how to write resumes, and plenty of people are willing to do it for a price, or even for free, and I could even add some power words to spice it up and attract some more looks.

One trick is to put words from the job description, such as the common "communication skills" in the resume so that when a computer scans it for keywords, those will pop out and move it up the pile. I like to take the approach of having as many people look at it as possible, getting their feedback, and using what I think is best. On Thursday, for example, I'm going to EastBay Works to have my resume reviewed by a professional for free. I've also given it to my Success Team at Job Connections for their input, which has been the most valuable so far, and changed things around. Another idea is to give it to a potential employer, probably during an informational interview, and see what they think and if it's what they're looking for in a potential employee.

Once I get it completed, probably by the end of the week, I'll post it in a blog and see what the readers think.

A strong gesture

Everyone loves getting gifts. But getting gifts, or even small perks, from an employer can mean much more than they cost. During my many years as a journalist, I was rarely treated to the Christmas bonus, free meal, free drinks or other such thing at work. If something was given, it was usually during a holiday. To get a birthday gift was unheard of.



Well, something unusual happened last week. United Reporting, a Sacramento company I started working for part-time in July, sent me an American Express gift card for my birthday. They've also sent me a few Starbucks and Shell gas cards as thanks for the work I do, and I really have appreciated them. But this gesture went above and beyond and it's something I won't soon forget.

Maybe it's because I worked at newspapers for so long, and expected to be treated poorly. Many people have told me that when I do find a full-time job outside of newspapers, I'll be very thankful because at least I'll be treated better. Other companies remember the small things, such as perks like free water, soda, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts beyond a frozen turkey, and treat their employees with respect. Maybe those things won't come in my next job, and that's fine, but the respect it shows by offering even small tokens of appreciation is huge and helps show how a company values its employees.

Birthday wishes

Oct. 1 was a happy birthday, complete with homemade chocolate chip cookies made by my wife and daughter, cards, clothes and best of all, Thomas L. Friedman's new book "Hot, Flat and Crowded."

I'm excited because it's a book about the need for a Green Revolution, a cause I believe strongly in and a field I'd like to write about for somebody. While the newspaper business is slowly killing itself, the art of storytelling is very much alive and is moving to the Internet as more and more people get their news online.

I don't want to sound like a politician, but what this country needs is a new type of New Deal, or Green Deal. FDR put Americans to work building roads, and the next president should put people to work building solar panels and windmills. It's time for Americans to wake up to global warming and the effect we're having on the environment and do something about it. It's time for big steps, such as a Green Deal for the country.

Another book I'm looking forward to reading is Barbara Ehrenreich's "Bait and Switch," about white-collar unemployment. It looks like my blog kind of dovetails into her book, as I'm sure many other blogs do, in telling the tale of finding a job in a lousy economy but with many of the job skills you'd think would lead to fulltime work.