The Painful Process of Naming Yourself   By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter I hear it repeatedly, how painful and intellectually rigorous my writing processes are. Collaborating with clients on their career stories, I hear that my career-intel gathering phase is both “demanding” and “mind-bending.” However, I have learned,...

The 6-second resume scan is hogwash By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Hat tip to Dawn Lennon and Dawn Bugni for unwittingly spurring me (via our chat over at Google Plus) to write this post discussing a recent survey on resumes. I admit to being highly concerned about TheLadders’ survey and the sweeping comments encouraging...

What to Say on Your Resume to Get a Leg-Up By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Are you telling prospective employers what you think they want to hear? Or, are you giving them the facts? As human beings, and especially human beings trying to land a job, we all tend to err on the side of saying what we believe will give us the best chance for success. (Watch...

Choosing the Right “Part” in a Resume Partner Flickr (joiseyboyy) By Robert P. Poindexter Nautically speaking, a partner is a stout wooden frame surrounding the mast that takes the strain off of the deck timbers. Of course, most people don’t associate  that word with the sailing vernacular above. Maybe they should though. After all,...

A Focused Approach to Shaping Your Value Story By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter The resume – so often misunderstood, yet so critical in helping lift a job search off the ground. As a professional resume writer, I am passionate about the value of this messaging vehicle. Unfortunately, careerists, in the thick of career transition, often become...

Rain Can Fall From a Clear Blue Sky + 46 Other Things I’ve Learned … By Robert P. Poindexter On the 27th of July, I turned 47. Inching ever closer to that half-century mark, I sat in the cockpit of my sailboat, reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned about life on planet earth up to this point. Below are 47 things I came up with (one for each year). I do not...

ISLAND PARADISE (not exactly) Lake Texoma Beach (walking distance from our new home) By Robert P. Poindexter For years, everyone who knows me was quite sure that when I left the Midwest, it would be for the sun-filled Gulf Coast. While those long, sandy beaches boasting palm-treed shorelines and dolphins frolicking in the surf are still...

I’m Done! image: flickr via Sir Nube Negra By Robert P. Poindexter Job loss is a devastating time in anyone’s life–even if you hate the job; even if you had started making plans to leave the job long before you finally did; even if you chose to leave of your own volition. While few things can match the...

Resume Updates: How Often? notesinabook By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Maintaining an updated resume – or, transforming it — in this rapidly changing career environment is imperative at any time, and particularly now, when the buyers’ market prevails. Ensuring your value shines and each career assertion resonates with...

In Your Career, Perception Is Reality By Robert P. Poindexter A man ran into an old friend on the street one day and after the usual “Nice to see ya’s” and handshakes, he asked his old pal if he was still in the junk business. His friend smiled and said, “No, now I’m an antique dealer.” “An antique dealer? How does one make...