Perajin Perak Demo ke Dewan, Kurang Dapat Perhatian

DENPASAR - Puluhan orang yang mewakili ribuan perajin perak di Celuk, Sukawati, Gianyar, Bali, mendatangi DPRD Bali kemarin. Dengan berpakaian adat madya, mereka membentangkan spanduk putih bertulisan Usir Kapitalis Perampok Seni Budaya Bali/Indonesia dan Stop Penindasan terhadap Pengrajin/Seniman Bali oleh Arogansi Kaum Kapitalis.

Kedatangan mereka ke rumah wakil rakyat tersebut memang menyuarakan lenyapnya warisan leluhur masyarakat Bali dalam bentuk karya seni. Sebab, belakangan banyak hasil karya cipta dan karya seniman Bali dengan mudah dicuri dan dipatenkan pihak asing. ''Contoh nyata saat ini ada sebuah perusahaan asing di Bali yang mengklaim memiliki hak cipta 800 motif desain perak dengan motif tradisional Bali,'' teriak Nyoman Mudita, komandan aksi tersebut.

Yang memprihatinkan, warga Bali menjadi korban dengan dijadikan terdakwa pelanggaran hak cipta. Pelapornya adalah PT Karya Tangan Indah (KTI) di bawah bendera John Hardy Limited.

Bahkan, Deni Aryasa, nama perajin Bali tersebut, dituntut 2 tahun penjara. Faktanya, kasus itu lebih pada persaingan usaha, namun terkesan dipaksakan sebagai kasus pidana. Menurut Mudita, seharusnya pemerintah melindungi karya asli bangsa Indonesia dari ancaman pencurian pihak asing.

Aksi para perajin itu didukung Ketua Sabha Walaka PHDI Pusat Ketut Wiana. Dosen Pascasarjana Institut Hindu Dharma Negeri (IHDN) Bali itu terlibat bersama para pengunjuk rasa. ''Kita tak ingin, misalnya, penjor dipatenkan oleh Jepang. Fakta lain sudah banyak, seperti tempe dan reog Ponorogo,'' ungkap Wiana.

Sayang, lebih dari satu jam teriak-teriak di pelataran dewan, tak ada satu pun anggota DPRD Bali yang menemui mereka. Padahal, mereka mendesak agar dapat berdialog langsung dengan wakil rakyat.

Baru sekitar pukul 12.00 anggota dewan bersedia menemui wakil para pengunjuk rasa di ruang pertemuan di lantai tiga. Itu pun hanya seorang wakil rakyat yang menemui mereka, yaitu Nyoman Saputra, anggota Komisi III DPRD Bali.

Sungguh ironis bukan?seni budaya asli Indonesia dipatenkan hak patennya oleh bangsa asing, padahal bangsa Indonesia terkenal dengan kekayaan akan sumber daya alam dan seni budaya nya,tetapi yang menikmati kekayaan bangsa ini kok malah bangsa lain!! ini seharusnya menjadi pusat perhatian seluruh komponen bangsa Indonesia,bukan hanya pemerintah saja ,tetapi seluruh rakyat Indonesia, karena kita menjadi bangsa yang miskin karena kita tidak pernah menikmati kekayaan yang kita miliki. Dan kita tidak akan pernah menjadi bangsa yang kaya kalau smua kekayaan asli bangsa ini sendiri di ambil oleh orang asing dan dinikmati oleh mereka, sementara kita sebagai pemilik nya tidak mendapatkan hak atas kekayaan kita sedikitpun. disaat putra bangsa ini memperjuangkan hak nya dan mempertahankan yang sudah menjadi miliknya dari dulu (karena mendapat hak waris dari nenek moyang), malah diproses hukum bahkan dipenjarakan,,
cukuplah sudah bangsa asing mengeruk kekayaan bangsa ini,,,mari kita sebagai putra bangsa, bersama-sama bergandengan tangan untuk mempertahankan semua kekayaan yang dimiliki bangsa ini..biar rakyat indonesia sendiri yang menikmati semua kekayaan yang memang merupakan haknya..cukup lah bangsa ini kecolongan "tempe dan reog ponorogo" yang sudah dipatenkan oleh bangsa asing..semoga Pemerintah Indonesia lebih memperhatikan seluruh kekayaan alam dan seni budaya Indonesia, melindungi dan memperjuangkan serta mempermudah proses Hak Paten yang diperjuangkan oleh putra bangsa, sehingga bangsa ini dapat menikmati hak kekayaan nya..
HIDUP INDONESIA,
BERMIMPILAH INDONESIA,
BERJUANGLAH INDONESIA,
BERHARAPLAH INDONESIA,
MERDEKALAH INDONESIA............MERDEKA...MERDEKA...MERDEKA

In today’s unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with any company would seem to be a thing of the past. Large company layoffs, golden handshakes, mergers, leveraged buyouts, company acquisitions and similar business moves have left people of all ages out of a job they need to live.

While there may be some compensation upon being let go from the firm you work for, this money won’t last forever. Or, if eligible for unemployment benefits, this also has a finite period of time attached to the check. Sooner or later, job hunting will be necessary.

But it’s not only individuals who have been turned out of jobs that this booklet can help. How happy are you in the business you’re in? Do you long to do something else with your career? If so, you’re not alone. You have plenty of company in wanting to change one’s goals and focus in life.

Perhaps you’ve just turned 40 and realize that you’re into the second half of a working career you’ve never really liked. Studies have shown that working in a job because you have to, not because you like it, can have some effect on an individual’s life span. Why take years off your life when you don’t have to?

The problem for most people in these situations is that they’re not sure where to start. They’ve either been tossed into this situation unexpectedly and are trying to make decisions on the run or they know that they at least have a paycheck, so they postpone thinking about trying to focus in on a job hunt for something they truly like to do.

Well, cheer up! This booklet will help you re-focus, identify the skills you have, narrow down the type of work you like to do and give you a number of outlets to gather information from in prospects of landing that job that will take you through contentedly into your retirement years. The best news is that this doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out process. You can label your transferable skills and acquire helpful data within a few days! It’s not a year or two effort we’re talking about.

The secret is knowing where to look, what to ask and how to narrow down the type of job you’d not only enjoy, but be pretty good at, too! So much of this is understanding what makes you tick! Who better to identify this than you? This booklet will give you some pointers in doing it, but it will be up to you to take the time to really analyze what it is you like and want to do. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will give you the power to change your life!

Identifying Your Skills

What are you good at?

Have you ever thought about it? In a truly critical, analytical way? Have you actually sat down and listed your skills and capabilities?

This may seem basic, but it’s not. Even if you’ve attempted to start a list, it is very likely you didn’t go far enough or deep enough and thus missed a few outlets for your skills that might very well unlock the key to your career future.

The following exercise can help you truly identify the skills you currently use (or maybe not use) and this will set the stage to see if they’re transferable to another industry.

There are three major categories of skill identification. You deal with people, things and information everyday. In each category, this requires a skill or combination of several skills. You might not even realize the extent of your ability in an area. You probably know what you’re not good at or what you don’t like doing, but pinpointing exact skills is not necessarily easy.

People. Let’s divide your skills at dealing with people into working with individuals and working with groups.

Individuals: In working with individuals singly, are you good at:

* communicating in direct conversation or on the phone? * communicating well by the written word? * helping, serving or receiving and carrying out instructions? * referring people, or helping put two people together? * advising, monitoring, coaching or counseling? * teaching, instructing, training or tutoring? * persuading, motivating or selling? * assessing, evaluating or interpreting others? * diagnosing, healing or treating?

Groups: In working with organizations, companies or associations, are you good at:

* making presentations? * communicating by written word like a newsletter? * public speaking? * leading or moderating a group discussion? * preparing seminars or other educational events? * training large groups? * consulting or giving advice? * leading or taking the lead? * coaching others in recreation or exercise? * performing, acting, singing, amusing or inspiring? * motivating, persuading or selling? * negotiating a settlement of some kind? * following through, getting things finished, producing? * managing or running a business? * supervising? * initiating or beginning a concept, idea or business?

Think carefully about each of these items. Answer fairly and honestly. There’s no reason to try and fool anyone. This is not a personality test! You’re simply attempting to frame your likes and dislikes about dealing with individuals, singly or in groups.

Compile your list of definite yes and no answers and write them down. Keep them handy for future reference.

Things. There are, essentially, six major categories of working with various things. These things are identified as objects (tools, instruments), equipment and machinery or vehicles, materials like cloth, wood and clay, your body, buildings or homes and raising or growing things.

Objects. Do you have specific skills in dealing with food, tools, instruments or the like in:

* handling? * washing? * preparing? * maintaining? * producing? * creating? * repairing? * cleaning? * knowledge? * cooking? * preserving? Equipment. Are you good at working with some type of machinery or vehicle in:

* driving? * controlling? * assembling? * repairing? * cleaning? * disassembling? * maintaining? * operating?

Materials. What is your skill level with items such as clay, jewelry, metal, wood, stone and cloth as far as:

* cutting? * painting? * crafting? * restoring? * weaving? * sewing? * carving? * molding? * shaping? * refinishing? * sculpting?

Your Body. Are you good at using:

* your hands? * motor coordination? * physical coordination? * your fingers? * your eyes? * your eyes and hands in coordination? * your strength? * your stamina?

Buildings. Do you have a particular affinity and capability for:

* constructing? * remodeling? * decorating? * designing?

Raising or Growing. Are you able to successfully:

* train animals? * treat animals? * garden? * landscape? * raise plants or animals or other vegetable or mineral?

This is the hands-on category. Do you have manual skills and, if so, what specifically can you do well? More importantly, do you enjoy it? Many people have turned hobbies they love into full-time, paying work. List the skills you have as associated with any of these categories. Also list the things you dislike doing, too. Finding that job you love is as much avoidance of things you hate as things you love to do.

Information. The final category in this part of the evaluation process is seeing how good you are and how much you enjoy working with ideas, concepts, information, specific data and technology. There are four categories to concern yourself with. Do you like creating, storing, managing or putting this information to good use?

Creating. Are you particularly good at:

* gathering information by observation? * gathering information through research? * searching for data? * imagining ideas or concepts? * inventing? * sensory feelings? * designing?

Storing. Once you’ve assembled the information are you good at:

* storing or filing records in file cabinets, microfiche, audio or video cassette? * bookkeeping? * computer storage? * retrieving the information once stored? * helping others retrieve the information? * keeping track of details? * memorizing? * filming or recording? Managing. You must do something with the data or information you’ve assembled and stored. Are you good at:

*analyzing your data? * organizing? * classifying? * planning? * accounting? * writing? * painting? * drawing? * problem solving? * evaluating your data? * programming? * prioritizing? * decision-making? * dramatizing? * comparing with other data? Using The Data. Once you’ve decided to use the information, are you good at:

* disseminating the information? * demonstrating? * putting it to some use? * showing it to individuals or groups? * publishing? * reporting?

At this point, you should total up your positives and negatives (what you don’t like or aren’t very good at) in this category. You now have three categories and you should combine the lists of advantages and disadvantages to see what your strong suit(s) are. You may find that you like observing people and taking this information and writing a script and then putting it on video or film. This comes from seriously analyzing each of these categories and finding a consistency in what you love and what you’re good at. Your next step would be to look at more specifics rather than generalities.

Specifics: It’s time to look at items you specifically like to work with. The following list should help you check yes or no to a number of things. Keep in mind that this is by no means a complete list and you should add your own thoughts to this of items you either like or dislike to make it more complete. Remember, this is your list, your career, your life, so make it as close to what fits you as possible. We’re merely giving you suggestions to help your frame of reference.

Office Products: Clothing: - desk - all types of clothes - computer - dyes - switchboard - shoes and boots - word processor - sewing machine - pen or pencils - umbrella, raincoat, poncho - printers - buttons or zippers - software - patterns - office machines - knitting

Household Goods: Material:

- furniture - paper - appliances - stone - dishes - aluminum - laundry - cement - blankets - pottery - wallpaper - plants - clocks - bricks - pots and pans - wood - burglar/fire alarms - bronze - chimneys - pewter - carpet - cloth - paint - steel - tools - brass - tents - papier-mGchT

Electronic: Financial

- television - calculator - camera - money - stereo - adding machine - videotape recorders - money market accounts - radios - cash register - radar equipment - ledgers - movie equipment - financial records - tape recorder - stocks - records,CDs,cassettes - futures

Recreation: Communication:

- musical instrument - telephone - games - short-wave radios - gambling - telegraph - board games - answering machines - sporting events - fax machines - kites - printers

Transportation: Medical:

- bicycles - x-ray machines - automobiles - lab testing - trains - medicine - airplanes - prosthetics - hot air balloons - dental equipment - boats - anesthetics - subways - vitamins - motorcycles - hearing aids - RV’s - eyeglasses Equipment: Miscellaneous:

- guns - books - gym apparatus - newspapers - fishing rods - videos - lawnmowers - magazines - garden tools - overhead transparencies - rakes - candles - traps - batteries - axes - lasers - pesticides - engravings - plows - lithographs - harvesters - paintings - threshers - silk-screens - shovel or pick - microscope - tractor - telescope - handtrucks - toys - sander - food - drill - wine or beer making

Your list should be fairly complete. If you’ve followed your true nature, you should begin to see a pattern; similarities indicating the type of work you were destined to do. If your interest is in film and cameras and filmmaking, that will be clear as you review your likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses from these lists. Now you need to refine and focus.

Cutting Down the Territory

Next. let’s look at specific knowledge you might possess. Run through the following list, add to it and list the knowledge you currently have. Second, go through the list again and identify the knowledge you would like to have. This will give you two current snapshots: what you know now and what you’d like to know in the future. The latter will define your future educational goals. It may be in areas you believe you’d enjoy if only you had a little more education.

No problem. It may be that a little more learning is needed to advance into what you truly want to do. There’s no reason you can’t take classes in those specific disciplines. There’s no reason you can’t work at an entry- level position in that industry and learn as you go. Often, a company may pay for your future education if it is in the skill areas of their field. So list the desires as well as your current expertise.

* psychology * chemistry * physics * cinema * foreign language * management * personnel recruiting * insurance benefits * geography * history * art * broadcasting * accounting * taxes * marketing * sales * computer programming * aerobics * graphic arts * religion * horticulture * government contracts * politics * teaching * interior design * architecture * vehicle repair * travel * systems analysis * astronomy * research * packaging and distribution * import/export * merchandising * machine operation * graphic arts * photography

List all of the fields you like in priority arranged by most knowledge of and likes. List the fields you are interested in and believe you’d like but need more training and education. Keep these lists handy and separate.

Now, it’s time to decide location. Are you tired of where you live? Would you like to live somewhere else? Is this the town you grew up in but have never seen any other place? Have you gone somewhere on vacation and thought about how great it would be to live there?

Part of cutting down the territory and focusing your job search efforts is to select the area you’d like to practice your skills and talent and apply them to a wage paying job. There’s not much progress made if you find work you like but you still dislike everything else about your living situation. Finding a good job also means finding it in the location you like best.

So, get out to the library and consult a couple of publications like Places Rated Almanac and identify your top five places to live. Narrow down an area and then specific towns. Then, find out the number for the local Chamber of Commerce and see how you can get more information about not only the place itself but the businesses located in the area that are in the field(s) you’ve narrowed down for yourself. These local chambers are glad to send out information and would be equally happy to see you move in and become a member of the community. There are lots of tremendous places to live in this country. Take advantage of it!

You say you’re interested in Arizona? Where? Phoenix? Tucson? Kingman? Bullhead City? Pick an area and start to accumulate information. If it’s possible to visit, by all means get out and see it.

Now you have areas and locations and lists of businesses in those areas. Now’s the time to narrow it down. Select the top two areas and hone in on finding work.

Update your resume. There are dozens of books out there on this subject. Craft it the way the experts suggest. Do it by skills if that tells more about you than where you’ve actually worked. Find out about local schooling programs in the areas of your choice in the event you need further education in the areas you want to do more with. Don’t move anywhere that doesn’t have jobs in the areas you like and are good at or intend to improve your skills.

Finally, begin to make contacts with personnel. Find out if there are local job hot-lines and other employment identification features. Certainly make contact with specific businesses that you’ve already identified as possibilities.

As you start to accumulate your information with which to narrow down the territory in terms of location, skills and interest, there are a number of resources you can tap, the majority of which are either free or have a nominal cost to obtain the information that can help you decide your future.

You’ll knock ‘em dead kid during the first week at work when you just play it cool….no matter how uncomfortable you feel.

The first week is usually uncomfortable because you’ll feel kind of stupid anyhow, thinking that everyone else knows more than you do. So put a smile on your face. And fake it until you make it. Here are four tips for your first week at a new job :

1. Put a smile on your face. It’s true that when you smile the world smiles with you because a smile shows you’re happy to be there. Therefore, your new colleagues will like you more.
2. Come in early and stay late. That’s how you’ll be noticed because it shows you’re committed to the new job.
3. Fake it until you make it. Try not to ask too many questions. Inquire only about what you need to know and avoid asking questions that can wait or that you can investigate on your own. You don’t want to drive everyone crazy by bombarding them with questions
4. Wear quality suits and dresses or pantsuits. That’s how to dress for success. Clothes of good quality are good investments in your career. Some business dressing ideas :

• It’s better to start off owning a couple of good outfits than a dozen chintzy ones.
• Notice how to dress for your new job during your interviews.
• And there’s no need to feel like you need to dress like everyone else. But wear clothing appropriate for the next level. If your office has casual dress, make sure you’re not the most casual.
• Think “classy casual.” In order to be well dressed - business formal or casual - observe how your peers dress. Then single out whom you consider being the best dressed and select a wardrobe along those lines.

Your first week on a new job will probably be the toughest. It’s true; you need to hit the ground running during the first week or two. But you also need to observe and understand what’s going on by asking questions you can’t look up yourself. And to take time to learn how and why things are done in your new company.

Many people fail to understand why they get rejected even if they are well qualified and have the skills required for the job. The reason is that their resume fails to stand out when alongside others. Here are a few steps that can help you make your resume have a big impact.

Do not treat your resume like any ordinary piece of paper. Be very careful when you draft the body of the resume. A presentable resume comes in a particular format - and the trends keep changing as business demands change.

Name

Write your name in the visible font size. You can keep your name in the center and write the address just below it in a smaller font size. Remember to maintain the correct spacing between words.

Objectives

At the beginning of your resume, always mention your objective. Tell the reader how you will be an asset to the company. For example, you can say, "I want be a continuous learner and help the company to grow!"

Do not try to bluff or over-exaggerate the objective. Keep it plain and simple, but impressive.

Qualifications

After you mention your objectives, give the details about your qualifications. You can give the details about the type of degrees you have earned and the names of the institutions from which you obtained them.

Make mention your grades only if they were outstanding.

Experience

Give details of your experience from each company. Always mention the experience of your current company first. Start writing it in the form of descending date order. You can mention the details of your job profile and the responsibilities you handle.

Don’t forget to highlight the responsibilities that are related to the job that you are applying for. You don’t want your resume to appear irrelevant.

Also mention the projects that you worked on and received accolades for.

Additional Qualifications

You should always mention any additional qualifications or skills. This will give the reader the impression that you are a continuous learner. If you were trained on a particular computer program or received training on handling elite customers, you should always mention it.

Technical knowledge

This section is very useful and important for people applying for technical positions. In this section, you can mention all the technical skills you have. Write down the names of various software programs that you are familiar with.

Don’t leave out the different programming languages you have worked with.

Computer knowledge

People who are not applying for technical positions can and should mention their computer proficiency in this section. List all the different computer programs you have worked with.

Certificates

In certain professions, possessing a certificate from a renowned institute is very important. In the beauty and fashion industry, for example, holding these certificates will help you land a job much more easily.

When you are writing your resume, it is important to highlight your accomplishments and not just your job duties. You don’t want it to look like you are a worker bee only capable of taking orders.

Improving your resume isn’t rocket science, but it does take methodical thought and organization. Follow the tips above and you will be well on your way to your dream job!

Let’s face it. We all want to get paid the highest amount possible for doing our jobs. The jobs we do help our companies make a lot of money and without employees many of the great products wouldn’t come to market. How many of you feel like you’re adequately paid for the value you provide to your company? I didn’t think so. How then can you earn more money for doing what you’re doing?

1. Get in a hot industry - easier said than done right? Well you know what the hot industries are , and if you don’t there are websites than can tell you. How do you get into that industry? We all have transferable skills. Map out your experience in what I call an "experience matrix". Want a surefire way to know if you’re in a slow industry? Figure out if your raise was lower than the national rate of inflation. If you’re an above average employee and your raise was that low, then you’re in a slow industry.

2. Work smarter and harder -when you work smarter at your job you become highly productive at doing what you have to do….but this frees up time…for pet projects that are risk free and may actually bring value. Doing things differently is what makes you stand out above your peers and bring more value to the company. Most companies actually do reward creativity and dedication.

3. Know your market value - keeping an eye on what your peers make can let you know if you’re underpaid for your job. The best way to do this is to ask your peers. True, most managers don’t like their employees comparing salary notes, but that’s self serving. It’s a manager’s job to keep payroll as low as possible. It’s your job to get paid as much as possible, and knowing how much people make around you can help you. At my first job out of college after I’d been there a year, I learned that newly hired undergrads were getting paid more than I was-and that’s with the promotion I had just received! I used that knowledge to go to my manager to request more money. And I got it-a 16% raise.

These methods not only work separately, but also in combination. Think about if you’re in a hot industry, you’re outperforming your peers, and you know you could get paid more, then all of those things can work for you to get extraordinary salary increases. I was a management consultant in the mid 90s heyday and had worked smarter and harder than my peers. I also knew that I joined my company making slightly less than the average person at my level. Therefore, I got an 18% raise since I was seen as a top performer. Those kinds of raises only occur in hot industries where profits are strong and companies have to reward top talent in order to keep them happy and not look to jump ship.

To get those high raises, follow these techniques, and combine them when possible. You’ll find your compensation will explode and you’ll attain all of your career goals.

Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the proper training and skills to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, so many job hunters have very poor communication skills. They are unable to clearly tell potential employers about their job qualifications. In short, they do not have good job seeking skills. In many cases, this prevents them from getting a high paying job that they could easily do. Often, the job will go to someone who is less skilled but who has written a eye-catching resume.

Often, job seekers have a few mistaken opinions about potential employers. They believe that employers are able to easily separate the qualified job applicants from the less qualified applicants. But this is likely not true. Sometimes there are from 30 to 300 resumes for the same job. So the interviewer first does a fast screening of all the resumes to eliminate as many as possible. The "good" resumes usually make it through the screening process. Many times the best job candidate is screened out due to a poor resume.

In today’s business world there is often many qualified applicants applying for the same job. What if, out of all of those who apply, one job seeker turns in a skillful resume? Who do you think stands the best chance of getting the job? It’s the one with the "best" resume, of course. This is so often true even through some of the other applicants may be better qualified for the job.

In order to get a good job you must communicate to the employer that you are ready, willing, and able to do the job. So if you are capable of producing a top notch job resume, you definitely increase your chances of getting a better job.

Virtually every potential employer will want to see a resume from you. The resume will determine who gets a job interview. Your resume is a mini-statement about yourself. After reading your resume the employer should have a better "feel" for you as a person and as a potential employer. It serves to get acquainted with the employer so that they can decide if they want to know more about you.

The resume is the first step, your introduction to an employer. First impressions really do count. If you make a poor first impression, you’ll never get to step two — the job interview.

To the purpose of your resume is to make a good first impression. In effect, your resume should tell the employer that you have good abilities and are truly interested in working. This report will help you make that good first impression. And it could very well help you to get the better job you’re looking for.

RESUME BASICS

All good resumes follow the same general basic guidelines. While there is some flexibility in these guidelines, you don’t want to stray too far from them. You want a resume that is bold, exciting, and enticing. But not too much so. You also want a resume that is somewhat conservative. In other words, it must be bold. Not flashy. You must show that you have confidence in your abilities, but not sound like a braggart. You must sound eager to do the job, but not desperate. So there is a fine line that you must walk in order to produce the best possible resume.

You want to use intelligent language. However, you don’t want to try and impress the employer with long, flowery, or uncommon words or phrases. Use everyday language whenever possible. Of course, if you are applying for a highly technical position, it’s acceptable to use some of the special terms used in that particular profession. But as a rule you should keep it simple and straight to the point.

The word resume comes from the French word "resumer" which means to summarize. So the exact purpose of a resume is to summarize your experience, knowledge, and accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you mean in the least number of words possible.

The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 1 to 3 pages long. Don’t be tempted to make your resume longer than 3 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember, a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered.

RESUME APPEARANCE

The overall appearance of your resume is also important. A sloppy looking resume will greatly lessen your chance of getting a job interview. The first thing that an employer, or personnel manager, evaluating your resume will notice is it’s appearance. There are several different things that can be easily done to increase the overall appearance of your resume.

The first of these appearance factors is the paper that your resume is printed on. There are many different kinds of paper other than regular typing paper. You could make an improvement by using a colored paper. I suggest a subdued color like brown, off- white, or gray.

Next, you could use a better grade of paper. Go to a local office supply store and examine the different types of writing paper. You’ll notice some big differences. Pick out a nice looking, more expensive grade of paper for your resume.

The next thing to consider is the quality of the material that is typed onto the resume. Never use a low quality typewriter to type your resume. If necessary, rent a good quality typewriter. Then make certain that it has a fresh ribbon in it. It’s very important that you make sure the writing on your resume looks good. This means clean, crisp, and sharp looking letters.

Another good way to produce a top looking resume is by having it typeset. If your resume was produced using a computer and saved on a disk, you can hire a commercial typesetter who can use this file. Or, you can locate another computer user who owns a laser printer. Laser printers can produce a good grade of typeset documents. The other alternative is to find a local word processing service that can typeset your resume for you.

You can use the typeset master copy of your resume to make more copies. But be certain that you use a top notch copying machine. Otherwise, you’ll still end up with poor looking resumes. Another alternative is to have the typesetter produce as many original copies as you need to ensure that they all look good.

A third aspect of your resume’s appearance is more subjective. It takes into account such things as the letter spacing, how each section is arranged, and it’s overall appearance. Some resumes simply look better because of the way they have been designed. At the end of this report, you’ll see an example of a properly prepared resume.

Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some "white space" so that important points can appear to pop out. Never submit a resume with handwritten corrections. You can highlight sections of a resume by using a different typeface or size or by using "bullets." If possible, use larger letters for the headings used in the separate sections of the resume.

Never try to be too fancy by using wild colors, cute graphics, and so forth. Don’t be overly creative. A simple, straightforward, factual resume will do nicely. Make it stand out, but stay conservative.

Another phase of your resume’s appearance is it’s accuracy. Make sure there are no misspelled words! Mistakes will create the wrong image.

Make sure that the punctuation is correct. And make sure that all of your columns line up. See that all of your facts are correct. Don’t say you attended 3 years of college, but only show two years worth of grades. Potential employers will note all inaccuracies and wonder why they appear in your resume.

OPTIONAL DATA

There is a variety of personal data that may be somewhat controversial if included in your resume. In the past it was acceptable to include all kinds of personal data, but times and laws have changed. Affirmative Action laws have made it illegal to discriminate based on such things as age, sex, marital status, race, religion, and so forth. Therefore, most experts recommend against placing this kind of personal data into your resume.

Your salary requirements should not be listed in the resume, if you can avoid it. The reason is that if you put too low of a salary, you might be paid less than the real value of the job. If you put down a figure that’s too high, you may not get considered for the job. If an employer likes you, it may be possible to negotiate a higher salary during the interview stage. Another thing that your resume doesn’t need is your photograph. Potential employers can decide if they are interested in you after reading your resume. They can see what you look like during the interview.

RESUME STYLES

There are several styles of resumes along with numerous variations. Your experience and the kind of job you are applying for will help to determine the style of resume you use. The two basic styles are: Chronological Resumes and Functional Skills Resumes. Some of the variations include the main themes of business, academic, general, student, standard, professional, or engineering.

A Chronological Resume lists work experience in reverse chronological order (the most recent experience first). It includes some descriptive text about each position, usually described in about one paragraph.

This type of resume offers several advantages: it is widely accepted, they are easy to read, and they show a clear pattern of your development. The disadvantages include: it does not highlight your major accomplishment(s), nor do they effectively show your other skills.

Functional Skills Resumes highlight your skills and accomplishments rather than providing a chronological record of your job history. Your accomplishments and skills are listed at the beginning. Your job history is listed at the end of the resume.

This type of resume allows you to call attention to your achievements. The major disadvantage is that employers may find it difficult to follow your work experience.

Many people discover that a combination of these two kinds of resumes is the best way to go. You may want to try several different types of combinations before settling upon a final design.

WRITING YOUR RESUME

Some specific topics that your resume should cover are:

(1) Job Objective — lets the employer know that you are interested in a specific type of work. This can be done in 2 or 3

sentences.

Example: work in an analytical chemistry laboratory that focuses on environmental samples. Oversee and coordinate the activities of other lab technicians.

(2) Summary of Qualifications — is a short paragraph that summarizes your experience and skills. Example: I have 8 years experience working on all p samples for metals C. Used CLIP and SW846 methods hases of analytical chemistry. Including work with a wide variety of instruments and computers. Was second-in-command of a lab with 8 technicians.

(3) Professional Skills — is the section where you give specific details about your qualifications. Example:

INSTRUMENTS OPERATED A. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer B. Microwave Digestion System C. Polarograph D. Laser Fluorimeter E. IBM Computers

ADMINISTRATION A. Supervised 8 technicians when the Department head was absent.

ANALYSIS A. Waste oils for metals B. Water and soil

(4) Work Experience — in this section you give a one paragraph summary for each of your previous jobs. This should include starting and ending date, reason for leaving, job title and duties, and any special accomplishments for each of the jobs.

(5) Education — gives a summary of all schools attended, degrees earned, and special seminars or training courses that you have attended.

(6) Honors and Awards — it’s a good idea to list any special awards you have received.

(7) Personal — information about your hobbies and activities should be included.

(8) Others — professional organizations that you belong to, computer or programming skills, articles or books published.

(9) References — you can state something like, "references available upon request," or list at least 3 on your resume.

It’s important to include all of the basic information on your resume. But, what is also important, is the way you say it. Don’t use dull, lifeless statements. Instead use action words. Here are some typical action words:

Accelerated, achieved, advised, approved, assisted, built, calculated, completed, conceived, controlled, coordinated, created, decreased, defined, designed, developed, directed, earned, edited, engineered, evaluated, found, generated, implemented, improved, invented, managed, operated, organized, planned, proved, revised, scheduled, tested, trained, verified, wrote.

These words give the correct impression that you have been responsible for do different kinds of jobs tasks. In other words, you weren’t just a follower. Of course, you should always be truthful. Don’t try to oversell yourself by claiming you did things that you didn’t do.

As you can see, a resume is really a very simple document. It is not that difficult to produce a good resume, if you follow the simple steps outlined in this report. By dividing it into sections it becomes a much easier job. These different sections also help you to stay organized. If you have worked on a special project or had a lofty responsibility on a previous job, you may want to include that in a section all by itself. Example: "I organized a training department for AMCO Scientific and was responsible for overseeing the production of training lessons."

Another good way to get familiar with proper resume writing techniques is to review a good resume. There’s an example included in this report. You can use it as a model. Then produce several different resumes for yourself until you find the best possible combinations for your specific skills. You may also want to have a friend to read your resume and point out any problems.

UNCOVERING JOBS

Many people do not have good job hunting skills. They are not experts at locating job openings for which they may be qualified. Here are some ideas to help you uncover those jobs.

NEWSPAPER ADS — usually draw the greatest number of applicants, so you’ll end up with a lot of competition. If you have no geographic restrictions, you may want to check out of state newspapers.

Find a way to make your resume stand out so that it isn’t lost among the many applicants. Here are a couple of ideas:

(1) Send a customized cover letter with your resume.

(2) Call before you send the resume in. If possible, talk to the person who will be doing the interview or who you’ll be working for. If this isn’t possible, talk to the personnel director about the job and let them know that your resume is coming. This will help them to remember your name and may help you get through the resume screening process.

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES — these are agencies that try to match employees and employers. These agencies vary in the way they work. Some can be very helpful. Others are somewhat unscrupulous.

Your best chance is to go with an agency that specializes in your field. Beware of agencies that continually run the same ad because, often, they are just trying to build a list of candidates. I recommend that you only use agencies that don’t require you to pay a fee.

TRADE JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS — Are often the best places to look. This is one of the primary means of job advertisement for some types of professions. Example: The magazine Environmental Science continually carries ads for environmental professionals.

Other good places to look include: trade shows and professional conventions, personnel offices, college placement offices, friends you have who are in the same profession as you.

Another method is to simply go through the yellow pages and look for companies which may need a person with your skills. Then contact these companies by phone and follow-up by sending in your resume. Job seeking is a skill that requires persistence. You must not become discouraged. Keep making plenty of contacts. Sooner or later, you’ll find the job that’s right for you.

THE JOB INTERVIEW

Most people are nervous when they go to a job interview. However, by preparing beforehand you won’t have anything to worry about. Believe it or not, occasionally the person conducting the interview is nervous, too!

Most interviewers will make a decision within the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview. There are a number of steps that you can take that will greatly improve your chances of getting the job.

The first (and perhaps the most obvious) thing to consider is your appearance. No matter what type of job you apply for, you should dress appropriately. A nice suit is your best bet. Dark blue or a gray pinstripe are the best colors. Don’t wear a loud tie. Make sure all of your clothes are wrinkle free and that your shoes are polished.

Women should wear a conservative suit dress. Avoid excessive jewelry, make-up, perfume and bright nail polish.

Interview do’s and don’ts:

(1) Arrive early. If you arrive late, you’ll be rushed and the interviewer may consider you unreliable.

(2) Walk briskly, with purpose, and stand up straight.

(3) Don’t smoke, chew gum, slouch, read a novel, or other similar activities while you are waiting in the lobby. If some of the company’s literature is available, read that instead.

(4) Give the interviewer a firm handshake, and don’t be afraid to look him or her in the eye.

(5) Be prepared. Carry an extra copy of your resume and academic record.

(6) Don’t talk too much … or too little.

(7) Above all, try to be natural and relaxed. Be yourself.

Questions that the interviewer may ask you include: what are your career goals? How many sick days have you taken in the past two years? What are your strong points? Do you have any hobbies? Why do you want this job? Tell me about yourself. What did you like most or like least about your last job? Do you have any questions? She or he may also ask you some specific questions that relate to equipment or procedures you’ll need to use on the job. This is a way of determining your overall knowledge and skills.

Before and during the interview …

(1) Be positive and enthusiastic.

(2) Try to focus upon your accomplishments and achievements in past jobs.

(3) Find out as much as possible about the job duties and requirements of the position you are applying for. This will help you to be able to ask further questions.

(4) Find out as much as possible about the company.

(5) If you are really interested in the job, let the interviewer know about it.

(6) Questions you need to ask include: when will the job start? To whom do I report? What would a typical day be like?

(7) Don’t be too concerned about salary and benefits at first. If you are selected, they will make you a salary offer. Toward the end of the interview you can ask about benefits.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

There are a number of things that you can do after the interview that will make you an even more attractive job candidate. Here are a few tips:

(1) Write a thank you letter. If you really want the job, say so in the letter. (2) If you have not heard anything within 8 to 10 days, you may want to call. Assure them that you are not trying to be pushy, but that you are just interested. If you aren’t hired, you can still send a thank you letter to the company and ask them to keep you in mind for any other similar job openings. Also, you may want to ask the interviewer for a specific reason as to why you weren’t hired. This information will help you as you search for other jobs.

CONCLUSION

Getting a good job that you want is not always easy. There are many qualified people after every top paying position that is available. But if you use the strategies described in this report, you’ll stand a much better chance of success. Be persistent and don’t sell yourself short. You could end up with a much better job in a very short period of time.

SAMPLE RESUME

Jerry Jobseeker
12345 Main St.
Anytown, U.S.A.
555-5555

SKILLS

Professional Skills: Experienced in operating a wide variety of
analytical instruments including, Flame and
Furnace AA, Microwave digestion, Laser
flourimeter, and more.

Familiar with the full range of EPA and CLIP
methods and protocols for inorganic analysis

Expert with IBM-PC computers and have over
ten years of computer experience.

BUSINESS
EXPERIENCE

1971 to 1977 Austin Powder Company, McAuthur, Ohio
Chemistry
Chemist:
Performed a wide range of chemical analysis
on raw materials, finished products and
competitor’s samples. Used classical wet
chemistry methods.

1977 to 1982 Mead Paper Company, Chillicothe, Ohio
Mead Research
Paper Technologist:
Worked to improve paper formulations, solve
problems, and improve quality using pilot
plant and mill studies. Performed a wide
range of paper tests, wrote reports, and
evaluated results.

1982 to Present Martin Marietta, Piketon, Ohio
Senior Chemist:
Performed a full range of analytical methods
for metals on all types of samples (soil,
water, air, waste samples). Responsible for
quality control and in charge of department
supervising 14 technicians when supervisor
was absent.

EDUCATION

Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
BS in Chemistry, 1971
Minor: History, Math
GPA: 2.4 Concentrated in inorganic chemistry

PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETIES

1975 to Present American Chemical Society

PERSONAL DATA I am very active with a number of hobbies
including: golf, gardening, baseball,
computers, and writing. I have authored a
number of books about computers and various
chemical related subjects.

REFERENCES Available upon request.