Personal Development Workshop April 27, 2006 Presenter: Saccsha Ebanks(Miss)

Discussion Topics Resume Writing The Job Application Process Work Ethics Five Year Plan Study Skills

Resume Writing

Your resume is You, In a Nutshell, so it is important that your resume really showcase your strengths and highlight those parts of either your education or work experience that an employer will find valuable. Tips to consider Keep it short - one page, if possible. Be neat; make sure that you use bullet points when necessary.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Be honest about your skills and work experience. Be concise and use action words (developed, handled, organized, created, etc) and phrases when describing your experience. Ask someone you trust to check over your resume and make sure that they really critique your work.

Resume Writing, Cont’d The Content of the Resume: Name, address, telephone and address All your contact information should go at the top of your resume. Avoid nicknames. Use a permanent address and telephone number.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Objective or Summary An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do. Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Education New graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information first. Your most recent educational information is listed first. Include your degree ( B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution attended, minor/concentration. Mention academic honours.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Work Experience Briefly give the employer an overview of work done. Use action words to describe your job duties. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order—that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Work Experience, cont’d Include the following: Title of position, Name of organization Location of work place Dates of employment Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.

Resume Writing, Cont’d Other information Key or special skills or competencies, Leadership experience in volunteer organizations, Participation in sports.

Resume Writing, Cont’d References Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a potential employer. You have the option to include or not include your reference information on your resume. If you choose not to record it you may note at the bottom of your resume: "References furnished on request."

Resume Writing, Cont’d Design These tips will make your resume easier to read. Use white or off-white paper. Use 8-1/2- x 11-inch paper. Print on one side of the paper. Use a font size of 10 to 14 points. Use no decorative typefaces. Choose one typeface and stick to it. Avoid italics, script, and underlined words.

The Job Application Process

There are four basic steps to the job application process they are as follows: Step #1: COVER LETTER AND RESUME Step #2: ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION Step #3: PHONE INTERVIEW Step #4: IN-PERSON INTERVIEW

Work Ethics

Attendance (Punctuality) Character Teamwork Appearance Attitude Productivity Organizational Skills Communication Cooperation Respect The following ten topics have been identified as essential work ethics that should be taught and practiced.

Work Ethics, Cont’d Attendance: arrives on time and gives advance notice of absence. Character: Displays loyalty, honesty, trustworthiness, dependability, reliability, initiative, self-discipline, and self- responsibility.

Work Ethics, Cont’d Teamwork: Respects the rights of others; is a team worker and is cooperative. Appearance: Displays appropriate dress, grooming, hygiene and etiquette. Attitude: Demonstrates a positive attitude.

Work Ethics, Cont’d Organizational Skills: Manifests skill in personal management, time management, prioritizing, flexibility, stress management and the ability to deal with change. Communication: Displays appropriate verbal and nonverbal skills.

Work Ethics, Cont’d Cooperation: Displays leadership skills; maintains appropriate relationships with supervisors and peers. Respect: Deals appropriately with diversity and treats everyone with respect.

Five Year Plan

The following is a user friendly guide to constructing your five year plan. Your Name Today’s Date This is important as you reflect on this document. This will become a touchstone for your growth and a reminder of who you were as you look back at what was important to you in this point in time.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d 3–6 Months –Start small. –Think about short-term goals that are easily achieved but will also help move you towards the longer-term goals. –Include some tangible goals (i.e., ship a product that I acted as lead designer for).

Five Year Plan, Cont’d 6–12 Months –Start thinking bigger here—this is planning for a year out. –What new skills do you want to learn? –What new ideas do you want to share with others? –What changes do you want to make? Put them down here along with the steps needed to take to make them happen.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d Beyond 12 Months –Capture specific plans that you know may take more than a year to get to or accomplish. –Be realistic but not afraid to reach. Visualize success in areas you may have little control over. Don’t be afraid to write down a desired goal that may be a stretch.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d Longer-term Goals –This is the area to think out for the next 3–5 years, including life beyond the company or situation you are currently in. –If you decide at a later time, that you don’t really want to do this, you should remove it off the plan.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d Opportunities to Explore –List all the training and coaching opportunities relevant and currently available at you. –Note relationships that need to be cultivated in order to meet success.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d Skills to Develop –Project what skills you need to develop to reach the goals you listed in the first part of this exercise. –What other skills do you need, besides the ones you have now, to attain your goal?

Five Year Plan, Cont’d What I Care About in a Work Environment –This may seem unimportant to the task at hand, but it serves to remind you of the values you need to share with the company you work for. As you grow or the company changes this can help guide you when you need to make a change.

Five Year Plan, Cont’d Personal Goals –Don’t forget the personal goals that you need to weave into your life. It never hurts to write these down as a reminder of work/life balance and of the things that are really important to you as a person.

Summary of Five Year Plan Formulate a plan ranging from three to five years. Revise it every six months. Share your plan with your supervisor periodically. Construct a portfolio of your achievements and market yourself. Include your personal goals along with your career goals. Include financial planning; do not rely on employers' plans to manage your money.

Study Skills

Time Management Goal Setting Concentration Listening Skills Note taking Reading a Textbook Understanding of Learning Styles Memorization techniques Motivation Test-taking Helping skills Cooperative learning skills (Group studying) Problem-solving skills Reference skills Decision-making Stress Management Critical Thinking

Study Skills, Cont’d Preparing to Study: A Good Study Place You need a good study place to be prepared to study. You should be able to answer YES to all of the following questions: Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it? Is my Study Place free from interruptions?

Study Skills, Cont’d Is my Study Place free from distractions? Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need? Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table? Does my Study Place have enough storage space?

Study Skills, Cont’d Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair? Does my Study Place have enough light? Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature? Having a good Study Place is important for good studying

Study Skills, Cont’d SQ3R - A READING/STUDY SYSTEM SURVEY - gather the information necessary to focus and formulate goals. QUESTION - help your mind engage and concentrate.

Study Skills, Cont’d SQ3R - A READING/STUDY SYSTEM, Cont’d READ - fill in the information around the mental structures you've been building. RECITE - retrain your mind to concentrate and learn as it reads. REVIEW - refine your mental organization and begin building memory.

Thank you