Opening at Spin
June 27, 2006
Spin magazine needs a new editor-in-chief. Music plays an important part in my life. I’ve written a few reviews but never have found a way to turn the excitement coming from my ears into words that capture that energy. Also, I don’t follow pop culture deeply. Instead I manage to collect too much useless information from VH1’s Best Week Ever and the cover of People. When you consider I have no management experience and have no desire preening the egos of entertainment I probably wouldn’t be right for the job.
[via Netscape]
What Not to Put on Your Resume
June 17, 2006
CNN Money offers up some tips on what not to put on your resume:
The whole question of how much personal information to include in a resume is one that evidently baffles lots of people. "Your resume speaks volumes about you," notes V. Michael Prencipe, a principal at HR Staffing Solutions, a temp agency. "Unfortunately, sometimes it screams, 'Don't hire me.' " He adds, "I look at about 200 resumes a week, and I've read plenty that do refer to the job seeker's divorce." Prencipe has even seen at least one resume that gave the reason for the split-up, i.e., a cheating spouse. This is way, way too much information.
Prencipe also counsels against "saving your resume as 'ssseexxxyyy_2006' and sending it as an attachment, or listing your reply e-mail address as bruceypants@" – and yes, those are both real-life examples, as are the resumes that detail the reasons why job seekers were fired from previous jobs.
Alas, in this era of rampant identity theft, even the most innocuous-seeming personal data – your home address, for example – is best left off a resume. Never, ever include your Social Security number, either, especially if you are posting your resume online.
As for personal information like hobbies, number of children, or any of the other myriad extraneous details that job hunters often feel compelled to list, Prencipe says: Don't. "Adopt this simple motto," he suggests. "Professional, yes. Personal, no." Enough said.
Looking over my resume I don't see anything personal. I mention my weblog, but that's to demonstrate my writing ability. I think that's one of my strengths so it would be foolish not to highlight it.
"What Makes a Resume Scream: Don't Hire Me" [via Lifehacker]
JournalismJobs.com & USAJOBS.com
June 14, 2006
James Joyner pointed me to JournalismJobs.com and USAJOBS.com where I found some possibilities including running off to Iraq to work at the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. I would have to think long and hard about that, but the job would surely give me plenty of writing ideas.
A New Path
June 13, 2006
Like Mike Gousha and Bob Dolan I find it is time for me to make a career change. For them it will be something in media, both being well-known Milwaukee personalities. Me, I am looking for something different than the grind of working retail. Exactly what, I do not know. Not to get too Oprah-like but part of this is an exploration into myself and my possibilities.
Currently I am a bookseller at Barnes & Noble. Since December 1998 I have been constantly involved with customer service. My primary job is to get the book into the customer’s hand. I either find it on the shelf, sitting on a table, get it from a warehouse, or reserve it at another Barnes & Noble.
When I was a lead bookseller (I demoted myself to focus on my job search) my other duties involved managing a section of the bookstore. I maintained its appearance and inventory. I also was a jack-of-all trades jumping on cash registers, helping in the café and music department, and fixing minor computer problems when called upon.
My loyal readers know I am more than knee-deep in weblogging. Some might not know I have been tapping away on The American Mind since December 1999 which makes it one of the longest-running political weblogs in the nation and Wisconsin.
My biggest strength is my ability to take all the stuff I happen to remember and synthesize, to take disparate ideas and smash them together to come up with a (hopefully) useful solution. That is demonstrated everyday on my weblog where I try to publish insight rather than a regurgitation of what I found on a news web site. At Barnes & Noble that means if the customer provides a vague description of what book she is looking for I can make and educated guess or find alternative titles that would be useful.
While I have dealt with retail sales for over six years I have never considered myself a salesman. What I do is simply try to solve customers’ problems. I do not do any hard sells and would be uncomfortable in that kind of environment.
My job search has just begun so I am still trying to grasp what would fit my work experience and desires. Any help is welcome. I would love leads or advice to help me find a job that effective, productive, and satisfying. Moving is certainly an option. I love Southeast Wisconsin, but I am young and am willing to go where needed. I will be using a this weblog to track my progress, letting you follow along with me. If you want a copy of my resume you can find it here or e-mail me at sean–dot–theamericanmind–dot–com.
Sean Hackbarth 