Cherishing a Reflection

What was once known as a New Year is winding down and will soon close making way for the next. In 12 months what was accomplished, what memories filled your heart with joy, and what is your hope for a better tomorrow? As you walked the path before you, working to overcome the hurdles that stood in your way, you now find that your footsteps are exactly in the same place that they were a year ago, with one exception. The New Year will bring new goals and resolutions as you look forward to beginning again with a renewed strength.

Just before the onset of the New Year arriving, you must go through the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It is this time of year that means many things to many people. It may mean shopping for the perfect gift, making a special family recipe to share during the big meal, for some it will mean a tree glittering with colored lights, and for others it means special moments with family crammed into a small window of time.

Everyone seems to be hurried as they race against the unyielding moments whirling away from them. You rush to the store to purchase the latest hot item that is on sale. You drop with exhaustion at the end of the day, wondering where you will find the strength to get through tomorrow?

Have you ever stopped time for even a split second? Instead of rushing through the store have you taken a moment to look at those around you? Perhaps a smile or a gesture of kindness will stop the clock to a slower pace. Have you ever stopped at a street light and watched all the people in the vehicles pass you by? Each of them having their own lives, their own set of problems, hopes, disappointments and yet for a split second your lives were connected.

Every single moment within a day you have connected with others in so many ways. So much in fact that it really goes unnoticed, because life is complicated and it distracts everyone from realizing what is important every moment of every year.

This holiday season may hold for some individuals memories that they wish they could change. The loss of a job, a death in the family, any tragedy really would break the hearts that should be looking forward to the upcoming season.

The children rely on memories to build a future. They are molded into adults by the moments that are shared with them. I was fortunate to have a grandma that made the holidays special as she baked her Santa Claus cookies. Not once did I have the heart to ruin this moment for her, or to let her know that I hated coconut. So I would carefully break off his beard and hide it in the trash. I am sure she knew, but she never took that moment away from me. The gift that she provided was clear and cherished. It was her sharing and my act of kindness that provided a bond between the moments we shared. It was the memories and the moments that I took with me throughout my life, and I used it to build my future.

As you begin to enjoy the moments that have been given to you, please look around you and be aware of those that feel a loss this holiday season. There was a time that communities would come together and help those that were having a difficult time. During this holiday season, try to create a community that stops time and slows it down so that others may catch up, by providing your assistance.

I am wishing for all of you a very wonderful holiday season that is safe and memorable with each and every encounter. Whether it be at the store, while sitting in your car, a phone call, or as you go out to get your mail. Take a moment to let the person next to you know that they were worth sharing a moment with, by cherishing a reflection.

Happy Holidays!
Carolyn Lee, CPRW, CEIP
Senior Consultant
I.A.M. Resumes
www.IAMresumes.net

No Job Insight - What am I doing wrong?

With unemployment registering at a high level and jobs being scarce, it is easy to be trapped within a circle of anticipation, disappointment, hope, despair, and wondering if there is a light at the end of the tunnel. After trying everything you are left wondering why you should keep up the fight. You reason that there is a need, because the bills need to be paid, perhaps you have others depending on you, and so the circle begins again.

The satisfaction of having control over your life has left. You feel as if you are a pawn within the employment game. Before the circle begins again, it is time to look at this with fresh eyes. There are certain aspects that you have control over and others that you do not. Perhaps you do have more control than you realized before being drawn into the rotating cycle.

Throughout our life we experience change with new developments replacing the old. The same is true with the employment market. Probably for the first time you are experiencing this type of struggle. Perhaps you have worked for the same or only a few employers up to this point. One day you awakened and you thought this was going to be just like any other day, until everything changed. You heard of others losing their jobs and did not really give much thought to it until it happened to you.

Now that you have joined the job seeker club you are finding that the competition is like never before. The employment game has now become too real and unfamiliar to you. You begin the job seeking process like those before you and among you. Listening to the news you realize that the statistics now include you. What you did not count on, is that there are new rules and strategies built into the new employment game. You may be feeling outdated as you muddle through the process hoping to soon regain your bearings.

What is a resume, a cover letter, the art of networking, electronic submissions, job posting sites, and what are unemployment benefits? Yes, the way to win the employment game is by using strategy and self-preservation.

Without realizing it you have now become your own sales agent. If this is unsettling it is understandable but not hopeless. If you are like most you were not prepared for the new employment game prior to its release date, when the economy shifted most everything. So how will you begin to learn the rules to this new game?

First take a moment to express your frustration. You have every right to be upset because this is not fair, but it is a reality and must be dealt with.

•Gather all your employment information, perhaps this information is in disarray and overwhelming.
•Organize your information from current to previous employment and make a list.
•Think about your strengths and what you brought to each company.
•Organize your thoughts and list them for reference.
•Begin thinking about your career growth over the years.
•Research what employers are seeking and begin to evolve into a new you through exploration.
•Determine the geographical area where you would like to work and the practical aspects of your decision.
•Seriously take a long look at your career path and determine if there is something that you may be lacking that an employer would be looking for within your criteria.
•Do you need more training that could be acquired through volunteering, a degree, classes that are more streamlined, an internship, or do you need credentials?
•Begin to create a draft of your resume and a cover letter template that would be further developed at a later date for a specific employer.
•If you need help through the resume creation process seek out a professional. There is not one person that is good at everything, so just accept this as one of the items you do not have control over, but do not let this hinder your career growth.

Begin to realize that for the first time you are actually taking control of your career. You are no longer satisfied with going the direction that was handed to you, but you are determined to seek out every opportunity visible and invisible to you at this time.

Begin applying for positions that you find on the Internet, but do not allow yourself to get stuck at this point of the game. This is only one strategy and it should not be your only strategy.

When you are met with a potential opportunity, and a resume may not be appropriate or available, leave a business card as you begin to network. Seek information so that you gain a connection.

Begin to build your network. Every individual that has started a business has gone through this very same process of exploration. Through a detailed process document what works and what does not, and begin to adapt.

When there is an opportunity to attend an interview be prepared, document what you have learned and what could be improved for the next time.

As you work through this process, perhaps it is time to increase your skillset by seeking opportunities to use existing skills independently as a sole proprietor.

There is one thing that we can be sure of throughout the entire employment maze, is that it is here to stay. Those of us that will evolve and are able to adapt will be successful. Your career took years to develop and this new phase will also be a process of exploration and development.

If I were to provide for you, just one clue to winning the employment game, it would be to be good to yourself by remaining positive through exploration, be proud of your achievements, learn from your mistakes, and develop a keen sense to recognize an opportunity.

Carolyn Lee, CPRW, CEIP
I.A.M. Resumes
http://www.iamresumes.net/

Senior Consultant Carolyn Lee, CPRW, CEIP - New Year - New You!

Have you been searching for ways to gain employment? Have you been hired recently? Was your job search a never ending struggle? Do you have a success story to inspire others?

This portion of our newsletter allows you to converse with our Senior Consultant. The topics will change, so please comment on the current topics.

Send submission to CustomerService@IAMresumes.com and in the subject line list, "Senior Consultant New Year New You." All submissions must include first name, name of State, an email that can be confirmed and please keep your topics on subject with short detail. If your submission is chosen by our Senior Consultant Carolyn Lee, CPRW, CEIP, it will be included in the next available newsletter series.

"I.A.M. Resumes [ www.IAMresumes.net ] - Life is all about exploration, creativity, and embracing new experience levels while working towards being all that we can be."
- Senior Consultant Carolyn Lee, CPRW, CEIP

Helping You to Obtain Your Career Goals!

* Inspired * Accomplished * Multi-Dimensional * Resumes *

I.A.M. Resumes is proud of the meaning behind their name. We create: * Inspired * Accomplished * Multi-Dimensional * Resumes * by using a fresh approach through innovation. We work together with our clients so that they can proudly take ownership of their Resume Presentation Package as they pursue marketing their branding strategies. We offer the choice of many components, allowing our clients to choose what will work best for their situation. Not all clients have the same employment requirements so why should they settle for a one-size-fits-all approach?

If you are looking for the perfect gift that is very thoughtful and supportive, we offer gift certificates mailed to your home. With our 'Client First Priorities' we are compelled to deliver the best possible service.

Our latest article, "Future Accomplishments Hindered, I See the Light" provides a look into the lives of individuals feeling the negative impact that the economy has forced upon them.
 

We can learn from the experiences of others, as we work together to enforce a lasting strength within our communities.

Although the economy has given us the opportunity to take a deeper look into our accomplishments, goals, and how we need to think differently about our future, it has also been devastating for others.

Only through a collective reflection of thought are we successful in securing change. Creating a new beginning is an essential component of success.

As always, thank you for allowing I.A.M. Resumes into your home as we work together to create a successful future.

Carolyn Lee, CEIP
Senior Consultant
I.A.M. Resumes
http://www.iamresumes.net/

Future Accomplishments Hindered, I See the Light

The poor economy has really provided for many, a bump in their road to successfully achieving their goals. Every one of us has been touched by the aftermath of a continued downward flow of circumstances out of our control.

For some it was the loss of their career, home, financial security and the inability to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As the economy continued to pick apart the valuable increments of their accomplishments, the situation just continued with more of the same as they tried to regain their independence.

Some individuals are finding that they are now actively participating within government social services, which was designed to create a safety net through the use of Unemployment Benefits, energy assistance, food support, and many more.

It is most unfortunate that these programs do not provide the means to sustain a family, pay the bills or to provide the life you once had.

Then there are those individuals that are near retirement, and as they looked forward to reaping the benefits from their years of planning and saving, it was taken away in what appeared to be an instant. They find themselves no longer able to retire and the only step they can make at this point is to continue working.

Perhaps you know someone that has done everything that they could to find their way out of the unfortunate circumstances and they are unable to accomplish this. Do you find that your future has just stopped, as you find yourself participating within programs that you once criticized for others? It is definitely difficult to ponder, that there once was a time when many wanted to cut government spending within the social programs you may find yourself participating in during hard times. It is easy to think that it will never happen to you and then one day it is difficult to swallow

What now? What can you do for yourself or someone else after they have felt helpless to change what has happened. Their life has unraveled all around them, and they soon begin to feel too weary to muster the strength to dust themselves off and begin a new.

I have met many very wonderful clients that have struggled with losing a big part of their daily life. They have worked many years and now found themselves stuck within the cycling economy, wondering where it will take them next. They are anxious to get back to business and are concerned about their future.

After it is all said and done, once the economy has reached your self-esteem it is time to create a plan of action. What does it mean to have low self-esteem and how can it be measured? This may be a new territory for many individuals as they struggle to get through each day with a dark cloud of rejection hanging over them. To have a good self-esteem would mean that you are confident, self-reliant and able to feel positive about who you are both inside and out. Having a low self-esteem would mean that you are not feeling good about your situation, you are losing confidence in your abilities until one day, when you are feeling you have reached your lowest point, it is hopeless, and you want to give up because it is just too hard.

Creating a Plan of Action: By taking the necessary steps to get back on track you will slowly begin to regain your self-esteem. Often times, we are unable to change outward circumstances and find that our inner confidence was based on the wrong foundation. It is time to create a new foundation as you work once again towards the necessary goals to succeed. Perhaps, things will never be as they once were, but that is alright. Change can really be a good thing when you begin to build a solid foundation of success.

As the Senior Consultant for I.A.M. Resumes, it is my position to help clients realize just how wonderful and successful they really are. Often times, what is important in life is lost within the hurried shuffle of everyday living. We lose bits and pieces of the things that really matter most. Could it be a complicated life, one that only allowed an individual to live for today and never having the time to consider what tomorrow will bring? Could it be a life circumstance that was a devastating change to an individual's status level? No matter what the circumstance that has brought you to this point, we need to stop thinking about how things once were and begin to create a new beginning.

The employment market has changed and as individuals, we need to find ways to change with it by adapting, so that we can once again regain what is important. There is no need for you to feel that it is necessary to struggle through this on your own. Seek out the support of family and friends, share with others what you have learned from this experience so that they can pass this information along to someone else.

Why wait any longer to begin putting your future in motion? Take back the control and stop feeling the reeling effects of the economy, allowing it to dictate your circumstance. Begin creating your Employment Toolkit, define your branding, determine your marketing strategy, choose your target geographical location and through it all, you will find that this journey was well worth the effort as you begin to view life from a different perspective. If you should need assistance in creating your Employment Toolkit, defining your branding, or consultation appointments, please visit us at www.IAMresumes.net to become acquainted with our career values.

Carolyn Lee, CEIP
Senior Consultant
I.A.M. Resumes
http://www.iamresumes.net/

Are You Sabotaging Your Employment Opportunities?

When it comes to looking for employment opportunities there are many things that can sabotage a job seekers success. Discovery is a window of opportunity available to everyone.

Case Study: Melanie is a woman with a powerful personality capable of adjusting her persona to fit each situation. There have been many professional positions in her past employment. She is presently unemployed for over a year, overwhelmed and unable to focus in any particular direction to continue her job search; there are mounting obligations weighing on her.

Her self-made resumes are not up to par and are mediocre at best. She has an excessive amount of paperwork that continues to clutter her efforts as she goes through them one-by-one recalling her past employment. Setting priorities seems to be an issue and she is unaware of how her behaviors can result in a cause and effect approach playing into her life and career.

Main Concern: Inability to receive a job offer or obtain many interviews.

Through discussion, it is evident that there is a strong need to vent frustration before pursuing a future. Without conscious awareness, it is possible to carry past behaviors into the future that will sabotage successful efforts. Many times an individual will continue the same old patterns totally unaware of how to change them. Melanie was unaware that the experiences life has provided would be playing out in negative venues through her thoughts, actions, and communication.

Melanie's mindset when beginning and ending an interview was complicated further by the negative image she had been portraying. It was her body language, the choice of wording and her inability to stop and listen, preventing her from picking up on cues during the interview process.

As long as past experiences seemed to creep into her communication style, she was most certainly going to struggle through interviews without success. There was a cycle taking place that seemed to always begin and end the same way. Through self-awareness, Melanie began to realize that she could no longer replay negative patterns and she would need to replace them with positive reinforcements. She would go into an interview believing in her worth with confidence and no longer expecting a negative outcome.

Melanie needed to focus on goals that would help her to move forward with positive growth throughout her life, both personally and professionally.

Goals
* Make a list of emotional experiences that are negative and put them to rest.

* Work on communication skills to foster a connection with engaging conversation.

* Create a list that would include accomplishments both personally and professionally.

* Determine a starting point, by clearly focusing on what is important and necessary to accomplish future goals.

* Begin organizing a career strategy by eliminating unnecessary documentation, create a portfolio and hire a professional to create a resume that represented her career experience to eliminate a mishmash of information.

* Increase confidence, build on strengths and implement a positive image.

Although this is not the end of Melanie's journey it will provide for her a starting point. As she continues towards the path of success, she will be able to use her listed goals as building blocks used to create a solid foundation.

The increments of our lives are intertwined and complicated, with boundaries becoming blurred at times as we try to distinguish and separate what is important and valuable. It is feasible that negativity will be carried into the interview and our career if we allow it. We all need good communication skills so that we can speak in a clear concise manner in addition to being a good listener. In the interview you will need to respond to the stimuli in the environment, listen and watch for the communication style being used by the interviewer as you work towards making a connection.

Are you sabotaging your employment opportunities? Perhaps it is time to do a self-evaluation to determine if changes are in order. Success is measured by every building block that will help you to reach your goals.

Carolyn Lee, CEIP
Senior Consultant
I.A.M. Resumes
www.IAMresumes.net

Resume Service Works to Increase Job Seeker Success!

Technology has opened many doors for job seekers as they look for new ways to increase their job search strategy. With this technology, I.A.M. Resumes is available to assist many job seekers, throughout the United States, from the comfort of their home by using their Internet service. The days of having to drive to a resume service office are long gone. Through the use of email, online billing, a fax, postal service, and conference calls with your Imaging Consultant, you can feel confident that success is readily available as your Employment Toolkit develops into a marketing strategy.

Not all resumes are created equally! Our resumes are created through our researching strategies. The combination of our research and your information is blended together to create a flawless professional resume document.

Should a resume service have career values? We welcome you to visit us at www.IAMresumes.net and to take the time to become acquainted with our career values. Each resume and cover letter is created with the same individual care to ensure that the marketing strategy used will meet your unique situation. Our service standards continue to be our top priority as we strive to meet our 'Client First' strategies.

We invest in our clients, as we strive to help them meet the struggles of becoming a successful job seeker. Our Client Appreciation Reward is our way of thanking you for the referrals and confidence that you have in our service.

Are you looking for the gift of a career? We offer gift certificates allowing you to show your support to a college graduate, someone returning to work or advancing within their career.

Do you need assistance? We are just a click or phone call away. www.IAMresumes.net