A retired teacher and principal with thirty-eight years of experience in public education, Renato C. Nicolai, Ed.D., taught 6th through 12th grade and was both an elementary and middle school principal. In education circles, he was known as Dr. Nicolai, which eventually was shortened to Dr. Nick, and has stuck ever since.

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Dr. Nick. Obviously, the state of public education in the United States is of great concern to many people. To begin, will you tell us what you think is wrong with the public education system?

Dr. Nick: Wow! What an opportunity! Yes, I would be pleased to tell you what I think is wrong with the public education system. My thoughts aren’t in any order of priority; I’m telling you about them as they come to mind.

What I think of first is what I wrote about as the main emphasis in my book. Teachers desperately need to improve the quality of their teaching, so, specifically, what’s wrong is that too many teachers are either incompetent or mediocre instructors at best. Yes, if you had the opportunity to stand by my side in the hundreds of classrooms I’ve visited in my career, you would be both amazed and horrified at how much poor quality teaching there is in our public schools. If parents only knew how much more their children could be learning with instruction from superb teachers compared to what they are most likely learning now from incompetent teachers, they would be flabbergasted. That’s how bad it really is. This indictment of teachers, however, is not a major problem at the elementary school, but is a serious and rampant problem for sure at the middle school, junior high school, and especially the high school level of education. Parents, you’ll want to read about the eight essential qualities most teachers don’t possess. I’ve listed and described them in the first chapter of my book.

Tenure is another critical problem. Once tenure is granted by a school district, an incompetent teacher is a teacher for life. It’s extremely difficult to dismiss a teacher who has tenure. What’s wrong with tenure is that it’s achievable so soon in a teacher’s career (after only three years in most cases), so final (once it’s granted it’s irrevocable), and so long lasting (the teacher keeps it for as long as he/she teaches). What happens is that some teachers work very hard during their first few years on the job, receive tenure, and then slack off in their performance because they know they can almost never lose their job. Instead of tenure, public education should promote a system of performance reviews that teachers are required to pass periodically in order to keep their teaching position for the next two or three years.

The way a teacher is evaluated is all wrong within the education system. It’s basically a sham and a joke. Collective bargaining contracts and union involvement in teacher evaluations has watered down the process of teacher evaluations to the degree that practically nothing worthwhile results from the process. In my book, I have a chapter titled “What You Don’t Know Won’t Hurt You,” and the concept of teacher evaluation is discussed in that chapter. If parents and the public at large knew how ineffective and unproductive teacher evaluations are, they would demand a more efficient system. The system as it exists in most school districts today is a tactful process of saying the right words, doing what’s anticipated, and not ruffling anyone’s feelings. What it should do is help teachers improve the quality of their teaching to the degree that they help students learn better, but it doesn’t do that at all.

The public education system is rooted in the false notion that all teachers are qualified educators who can be trusted to make good decisions, follow school district rules and regulations, work together in a spirit of collegiality, promote the welfare of students as a priority, and, generally, do what is just, moral, and professional. What’s wrong is that this description is simply not true; yet, school districts throughout the United States allow teachers the freedom to work unsupervised because they are assumed to be well-intentioned, professional persons who have the best interests of students at heart. Don’t misunderstand me, please. Of course, there are many conscientious teachers who do work well with each other and do have the best interests of students at heart, but I believe that there are many more who take advantage of academic freedom, collegiality, and lack of supervision to do whatever they want within the four walls of their classrooms. This is actually a very serious problem that is covered up by the educational hierarchy.

Another very serious wrong is the way in which school districts manage the use of substitute teachers. Substitute teachers are rarely observed to determine their competence, frequently assigned to subject areas they have no qualifications to teach, and regularly subjected to unbelievable disrespect and insolence from students. When a substitute teacher is present in a middle school, junior high school, or high school classroom, little or no learning takes place. That class is a waste of instructional time, the students’ time, and the substitute’s time as well. The three most common activities that take place when a substitute takes over a regular teacher’s class are the showing of videos or DVDs, the administration of tests, and the supervision of long, boring written or reading assignments left by the regular teacher. The lesson plans left by most regular teachers for substitute teachers to follow are generally a set of instructions on how to occupy the time students have in class. The entire substitute teacher system needs to be completely overhauled. Students must be taught to respect substitute teachers, to assist them with the lesson, and to be responsible for their own learning. Expectations that students will cooperate with substitute teachers, that regular teachers will conscientiously prepare quality lesson plans, that substitutes will teach, and that administrators will monitor substitutes are so miserably low, currently, that the education system simply accepts the status quo of chaos, lack of learning, and disgraceful substitute teacher academic and professional performance.

Tyler, the public education system in the United States is really in trouble. It’s inundated with problems; there are many things wrong with it. I could have written about lack of student discipline, emphasis on sports over academics, permissiveness throughout the culture of public schools, reticence about the problems that exist, and much more. I believe that it has deteriorated so much over the last fifty years, that mediocrity and incompetence are the status quo. Parents don’t even realize that the system is so bad. What they see and experience is what they think is how the system should be. They don’t understand how much better it could be and how their children could be receiving a more superior educational experience.

Tyler: Dr. Nick, will you tell us a little bit about your background in education-where you taught and the subjects you taught, as well as your experience as a middle school principal. What personal experiences have led to your current viewpoints?

Dr. Nick: My first full time position in public schools was as a 9th and 11th grade teacher of English at El Camino High School in South San Francisco, California (a city separate from San Francisco). After teaching two years, my assignment changed to teaching English half the school day and counseling the other half. In my third year as a teacher at this school, I was elected president of the local teachers’ union and the following year chairman of the School District Negotiating Council. In my fifth year, I was appointed Assistant Principal of Parkway Junior High School (7-9) in the same school district.

During the seven years I held this position as assistant principal, I enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Southern California, and from 1969-1972 I achieved a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration and Secondary Curriculum. My dissertation, which researched the administrative behavior of superintendents of schools, was the first dissertation sponsored by the newly formed Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

In 1974, I was selected Principal of Isaac Newton Graham Middle School (7-8) in Mountain View, California. You asked me to share my experience as a middle school principal, and I’m pleased to do so, but I want you to know that I could easily write another book about those experiences alone. So, I’ll try to give you an encapsulated answer. I think I could best describe my experiences as a middle school principal as a continuing five year roller coaster ride because I never knew when my feelings, emotions, and experiences would be up or down. On the up side, I was thrilled to see many students learn to their potential as a result of the excellent teaching of some superb teachers. After all, helping young people learn is what education is all about. I also observed some outstanding teachers whose skills and methods motivated students to excel beyond their own personal expectations. That was extremely exciting. As the leader of a neighborhood school, I grew personally as an educator because I had the opportunity to influence curriculum, work for the educational benefits of students, and associate often with community leaders in various agencies (fire department, police department, recreation department, mayor’s office, and so on). These experiences made me a better principal. On the down side, I learned quickly that many teachers should never have been allowed to enter a classroom to teach. They were not suited to interact with adolescents and teenagers; they didn’t have the skills needed to help young minds understand concepts and ideas; they failed to devote themselves to learning how to teach expertly; they didn’t know how to control and manage a class of thirty students. I also realized what some of the problems were that I had to deal with (incompetent teachers, low quality curriculum, collective bargaining contracts to name a few) but that I didn’t have the power to bring about effective change. That was frustrating to no end. Finally, the lowest possible experience for me was to meet so-called teachers who had literally given up; that is, they had decided to go through the motions of teaching only. They were no longer eager to teach, didn’t look forward to meeting their classes, and did as little as possible to meet their professional responsibilities. I left out so much that I feel my answer is inadequate. I can see the joy on the faces of students who won academic and sports awards, the enthusiasm of both staff and student body at our annual soft ball game, the annual parent club barbecue, and so much more.

I remained at Graham for five years and then moved on to an opportunity in southern California as the Administrative Director (Superintendent/Principal) of Chatsworth Hills Academy, a private school in Chatsworth, California. I preferred serving in public education, so I returned to Graham as a 7th grade core teacher, teaching English and social studies (world history). In October of my second year back from southern California, I was asked by three Santa Clara County superintendents to head up a “joint powers” school named The Institute of Computer Technology as an on-loan school administrator. Along with an on-loan administrator from IBM (Ken Butler), I helped this new educational enterprise get its feet off the ground. It was exciting work and I enjoyed hiring teachers, meeting technology experts at Apple and IBM, developing curriculum, outfitting a school with security systems, working with school superintendents, learning how to protect valuable hardware and software, and a lot more. After doing what I was hired to do, I returned to Graham, teaching English, social studies, and geography to 7th and 8th graders, including the 8th Grade Honors English program. I remained at Graham for the next twenty years and retired in 2001.

During my career, I’ve been a presenter at various conferences, in-service sessions, and conventions. My presentation topics were usually in the areas of teaching methods, literature-based instruction, discipline, and classroom management. I’ve also been a master teacher, chairman or member of numerous curriculum committees, and an adjunct professor in the teacher training program at National University.

My current viewpoints and attitudes toward public education developed throughout my career based upon my personal experiences as a teacher and principal, what I saw other educators do and heard them say, what I read, what I learned best helped young people reach their learning potential, what political reforms failed, and what I learned about how young minds gain knowledge. For instance, there was a time when I opposed vouchers; I’m adamantly in favor of them now. The more choices parents have in the education of their children, the better. I was a staunch supporter of tenure at the beginning of my career until I witnessed how many deficient teachers hide their incompetence under the protection of this law. Tenure should be abolished. I’m sure you get the idea. I hold the views, attitudes, and feelings that I do about education as a result of a life-long career in schools. You know, children aren’t the only ones who learn while at school.

Tyler: You mention that many teachers are not competent? What is the reason for this, and why does the school system allow them to remain in the classroom?

Dr. Nick: Why are many teachers incompetent? Here are some reasons to contemplate:

Because they don’t possess the personality needed to interact well with young people. If a person doesn’t like kids, doesn’t enjoy being with them all day long, doesn’t look forward to teaching them, doesn’t accept their immaturity and want to help them become more mature, can’t stand constantly answering questions, can’t accept individual differences (race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc), can’t cope with special needs (hyperactivity, behavior problems, and so on), then that person will never be a competent teacher.

Because they don’t possess, exhibit, use, and treasure enthusiasm, and, so, they are truly boring to most of their students. Ask any kid at a middle school, junior high school, or high school in your community what they dislike the most about their teachers, and, I guarantee you the answer will overwhelmingly be that they are boring. And you know something, Tyler; the kids are right. Most teachers are insufferably boring in how they teach. Enthusiasm is a sine qua non for all competent teachers.

Because they don’t know how to get concepts and ideas across clearly to their students. They don’t possess the knowledge and skills needed to help students learn. They just don’t know what to do and end up quite often being frustrated and saying something like, “Oh, those kids just can’t learn this stuff.” That’s an expression equivalent to defeatism and incompetence. If the learning material is age appropriate and part of the accepted curriculum, of course a normal, healthy student can learn it. It isn’t the student who is at fault; it’s the teacher who doesn’t have the competence to design lessons, activities, and programs to help students learn. The reason for this is that many teachers tell students but don’t show and teach.

Because they can’t manage and control student behavior. Teachers daily face challenging disciplinary and behavior problems. If a teacher can’t effectively handle these problems, that teacher will never be a competent instructor-never! In this case, the incompetence is in not knowing what to do when a disciplinary or behavior problem presents itself because the teacher hasn’t thought out a personal Educational Philosophy for Control of Student Behavior. Every teacher needs to do this to harmonize his/her personality with methods of discipline. I explain this in detail in my book.

Because many teachers don’t manage classroom time efficiently. I devote an entire chapter to this topic: “Wasted Time – Inept Instruction (Euphemism: Teaching Mistakes). How can anyone consider a teacher competent when that teacher tries to teach over the noise of unruly students, doesn’t know how to quell effectively unnecessary noise at the change of a classroom activity, and allows students to talk whenever they want. This inability to control noise leads to as much as 25% of each class period being wasted. Many teachers can’t even control the time at the end of class when students get ready to leave and waste the ten or fifteen minutes left.

Because many teachers can’t effectively control group learning. One of the most effective ways for students to learn is to interact with each other, allowing students to help each other learn in groups. Sometimes, students have just the right words and explanations to help a fellow student understand a lesson. However, most teachers don’t control student groups effectively and so waste tremendous amounts of instructional time.

Because many teachers don’t have high enough academic and behavioral expectations and standards. In other words, many teachers don’t challenge their students enough academically and don’t expect them to learn to the level of their potential. Teachers must project an attitude of high expectations to motivate their charges adequately. Most teachers don’t even understand this concept and need to learn it themselves. Not putting it into effect in classrooms is indicative of ignorance and incompetence. In Chapter Three, I wrote a seven-page description of the most important strategies used by teachers who truly understand how to teach high academic and behavioral standards. Teachers, you’ve never seen anything come close to this practical list of how to teach standards.

Because some teachers don’t have a sufficient knowledge of the subjects they teach. They don’t! They are assigned to teach a subject they don’t know adequately or they don’t even like. Many teachers are teaching subjects and they don’t have either a major in that field or a valid certificate to teach it.

There are other reasons as well, but the few I mentioned are really significant ones, aren’t they? Now, what are the reasons for these incompetencies and why do school systems allow these incompetent teachers to remain in the classroom? Well, the first part of the question can be answered easily. Students learning how to teach are not being prepared adequately by schools of education. You know who should teach prospective teachers how to teach? Not education professors! No! Excellent, experienced, current and retired teachers who know what a classroom is all about and who have a love for kids and teaching in their hearts should teach candidates for teaching. Give me proven experts at teaching young people, a group of twenty teacher candidates for a year, and I know we could do a much better job of teaching them how to be good teachers than any school of education in the country.

Answering the second part of the question leaves me with a heavy heart. The reason is that most school districts don’t effectively monitor and evaluate the progress, competence, and teaching skills of new teachers. The procedures to do this are woefully inadequate and rarely result in new teachers being dismissed if they are incompetent. Teachers new to the profession learn more about teaching from their own personal experiences the first three years on the job and from other, experienced teachers than they do from any program presented by the school district they work for. School districts don’t really know if a new teacher is mediocre or, worse yet, incompetent so they grant tenure because they need a body in the classroom. There is a tremendous shortage of teachers throughout our country today. Once tenure is granted, it is virtually impossible to dismiss a teacher on the basis of incompetence.

(Due to space constraints a portion of this review was omitted — please see Reader Views website for the entire interview.)

Dr. Nick: Parents must be involved in their children’s education from preschool right through high school and, perhaps, even into college. The tendency is for parents to step back from involvement when their teenagers start high school. This is a serious mistake. Parental involvement is critical during high school because the high schooler is under tremendous pressure from peers mainly to experiment in many different areas: drugs, alcohol, sex, ideology, cults, etc. That involvement should take the form of proactive participation, diligent observation, and ardent questioning. I recommend that parents do the following to ensure that their children receive a quality education:

Parents must communicate regularly in person, over the phone, and via e-mail with the teacher throughout the school year about every aspect of their child’s learning by asking questions and seeking information about these and other important aspects of schooling:

homework

math skills

language arts skills (reading, spelling, grammar, writing)

testing

behavior

grades

listening skills

attitude

participation and cooperation

Parents must frequently monitor the progress of their child’s learning at home and act as the most important teacher in their child’s life.

Parents should observe their child’s teacher(s) to assess the teacher’s quality of instruction. My book is filled with tips for parents to do just that. It also contains lists of questions for parents to ask and what to look for in a classroom to determine if a classroom’s physical environment is organized as a valuable learning tool.

Parents should participate in the life of the school, if possible:

join the PTA or parent club and participate in its activities and governance

volunteer as an aide at school

offer to assist the teacher with paperwork

Parents must attend school functions: Back-to-School Night, Open House, music programs, special events, sports contests, fund raisers.

Parents must meet with the teacher at parent conferences and ask questions about their child’s educational progress.

Parents should introduce themselves to the principal and other persons in key positions at the school to know who they are and to make sure these school personnel know who the parents are.

Parents should communicate their ideas and opinions to their elected school board members, and, on occasion, attend a school board meeting.

Parents must be sure their child is equipped to do the best possible work at school by providing:

necessary school supplies

a nutritious and balanced diet

enough sleep and rest

a positive attitude toward school and teachers

a distraction-free place for homework

Tyler: Does the concern over public education have a place outside the school system? What about people who do not have children? Why should they care about things like millage elections, or want to pay more taxes, or support the school system?

Dr. Nick: Yes, concern over public education does have a place outside the school system. Most people who don’t have children, are retired and have no contact with children, or whose children are now adults pay taxes and generally want a school system that produces an educated person. These people are automatically invested in the public school system as a result of their taxpayer status and expect to receive good value for their tax money. I know I do because 62% of my annual property taxes (nearly $3,800) goes to public schools in the community where I live.

Tyler: Students often do not value the education they receive until years later. As a former college English professor, I taught many lazy students, and I was constantly in dismay that so many of them were even admitted to college when they could not write a complete sentence. I frequently wondered what they had done for thirteen years in the public schools? Do you think the college system is in any way responsible for the decline of public education in the elementary and high schools? Should entrance requirements into colleges be raised?

Dr. Nick: I don’t blame our college system in any way at all for the decline of public education in the elementary and high schools. State colleges and universities, community colleges, private and religious colleges and universities-all provide opportunities for students who are qualified to pursue them. It’s the responsibility of the elementary and secondary schools to prepare students to take advantage of those opportunities and meet those qualifications. I do think these colleges and universities should regularly evaluate their entrance requirements, as I’m sure they do, to ensure that they maintain high standards of academic expectations.

These colleges and universities have a responsibility to graduate well-educated and highly competent young people. Watering down the entrance requirements to fill classrooms would be a disgrace and morally reprehensible. Not all high school students should be expected to attend a four-year college, although that’s what many high school counselors and administrators tell them is possible. I do blame some schools of education, however, for the poorly prepared teachers they seem to turn out by the thousands each year. School of education reforms in recent years in teacher training programs, curriculum standards, course content, and subject matter proficiency have not produced quality teachers. If they had, our elementary and secondary school students would be exceptionally successful learners and you would not have asked this question. After all, teachers are supposed to help students learn to their capacity.

Tyler: Dr. Nick, how long do you think the public school system has been declining? Do you believe it has affected the American job force and economy?

Dr. Nick: The American public school system has been declining over the last fifty to sixty years. All you have to do is look at the statistics to see that the reforms attempted during the past half century have not resulted in significant changes in learning, test scores, and student achievement. In fact, in most curricular areas, there has been little or no change at all, and in math and English there has been decline.

Perhaps your readers would be interested in an excellent article published in the September 2007 edition of Harper’s magazine. It’s titled “Schoolhouse Crock (Fifty years of blaming America’s educational system for our stupidity) and presents an excellent analysis of educational reform over the past fifty years.

This decline continues to affect the American job force, businesses, and our national economy as well. Many businesses and corporations have instituted their own systems of internal education to train their work force properly to do the work expected of them because they can’t rely on the public schools.

Tyler: The ones who suffer the most in this situation are the children, yet as children, students are unlikely to know what they are not learning and how it will be detrimental for them. Furthermore, they may be too intimidated by teachers to complain when they are given more free time or fruitless assignments or actual lessons. What if anything, can students do to improve the quality of their own education?

Dr. Nick: At the elementary school, middle school, and junior high school levels of education, there is probably very little if anything the young people who attend these schools can do to improve the quality of their own education. They are too young, inexperienced, and immature. At the high school, however, some students are mature and serious enough about their own schooling to do something. I might add, though, that there are most likely very few who would actually challenge the powers that be (teachers, principals, superintendents, boards of education) for a variety of reasons. The two most significant ones, in my opinion, would be peer pressure and fear of retribution or retaliation on the part of teachers or administrators. Nonetheless, here are some actions mature, serious, intelligent, concerned high school students could do:

Go to your principal and complain about the poor quality teaching you’re experiencing. Nothing will happen the first time, so go a second and third time. Bring other concerned students with you.

Be polite but assertive, telling your principal that you have a right to quality instruction but aren’t receiving it. Clearly state your areas of complaint: too much classroom noise, inadequate instruction, lack of teacher interest, and so on.

Make an appointment with the superintendent to voice your concerns. Present a plan of how your grievances can be redressed. Bring other concerned students with you. Request permission to speak at a board meeting and present your complaints to these elected officials.

Phone and/or e-mail board members.

Form a committee of concerned students who weekly report to the principal about what is going on in your classrooms that should be improved or changed in the best interest of your education.

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Dr. Nick. Before we go, will you tell us a little bit about your website and what additional information can be found there about “The Nightmare That is Public Education”?

Dr. Nick: My website, http://www.drnickweb.com, is currently being updated. However, there is information about my book that your readers will enjoy, I’m sure, but I’m working on including much more.

Tyler: Thank you, Dr. Nick. I hope you have many parents and educators visiting your website and reading “The Nightmare That is Public Education.”

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is honored to speak with Renato C. Nicolai (Dr. Nick) about his new book “The Nightmare That is Public Education: An Expose of What Really Happens in Public Schools.”

http://www.readerviews.com/

Freebies delight many of us and computer users are lucky to be able to download free movies from the Internet. There are several hundred sites advertising downloads of free movies but some are in the business peddling illegal fare. The trend to download free movies has also irked movie studios that fear a Napster-like piracy of music and movies via the Internet.

The free movies available online are usually those in the public domain because their copyright has not been renewed. The latest full-length movies are seldom free and they require a small fee sometimes charged as membership or shipping or mailing fee by some companies. If a recent movie is completely free, most often the transaction can get you into legal trouble.

The websites ibiblio.org and archive.org have free movie downloads. These sites have a collection of public domain movies. You can even get full-length movies from the 1930s and 40s such as the Three Stooges. It is legal to download these movies because the copyright has expired and they are now in the public domain.

The major movie studios are worried about this trend of free movie down loads. They see a future scenario of movie piracy similar to the music piracy boom of a few years ago. New technology makes it more difficult to put free movies on the Internet. Microsoft is planning a new operating system that will have strong anti-movie piracy protection.

The software is being developed in consultation with movie industry. The studios are looking at controlling the movie downloading market. With broadband speeds, Downloading a movie may become as common as downloading a song. A new alternative is to rent movies online for a small fee.

The movie download business is still in its infancy and faces many hurdles. For one, most people prefer to watch a movie on a television screen and not on a computer. Also, the hard drive of a P.C. can store only a few movies.

Downloading a movie from the Internet requires the following items. First, there must be a 56K modem or a broadband connection, 64 MB of RAM, Windows (95,98, ME, 2000, XP, Linux) and a movie download player like Quick Time. If all these components are present, you can play videos by download or stream. Movies should start playing within a minute or two once you select a link to the page that supports your modem speed.

It is not at all a tall order to expect the movie industry to be completely transformed by the free download business just like when the iPod hit the music scene. A way will surely emerge for the present technology to shed its defects and to bring out a high-quality product.

Free Movies provides detailed information about free movies, free anime movies, free movie clips, and more. Free Movies is affiliated with Free Movie Downloads [http://www.i-moviedownloads.com].

Home childcare is an excellent choice if you prefer a less businesslike approach to childcare. You will find that there are fewer children on site, and that children are in a home with a family or individual rather than in a business. Home daycare centers are state licensed, and can provide care for children of all ages.

What to Look for In a Home Childcare Center

It is important to note that home childcare centers will have varying regulations from state to state. You will always want to check your providers license, and ask questions if you have any. Many parents find it comforting to attend childcare with their child for a couple of hours on the first day, which will help the child adjust more readily and give parents a chance to see what kind of environment is provided in the home. You may want to ask whether or not there is an assistant, as well, who can care for your children if the main caretaker is ill.

There are also different rules set by providers, such as whether you need to send snacks or meals, or whether these are included in your weekly fees. Often providers include one meal, such as lunch, as well as a snack in their fees. You will need to pack all of the essentials for your child, however, such as diapers, bottles, and formula as needed.

Meal times are very important to consider. If you are responsible for breakfast, for instance, make sure that you have time to give your child the meal before dropping her off. This will ensure she is happy and ready to play until snack time or lunch. You may want to ask if you can send an extra snack if you have a toddler who likes to graze in between regular meals and snacks. Home providers are often willing to work with parents to find a routine that works well for both the child and the caregiver.

Communicating With Your Home Childcare Provider

Your child will spend a significant amount of time with the caretaker, so good communication is a must. Make sure that you are comfortable enough with the house rules at the provider’s home to enforce them, which will also help smooth the transition from home to childcare. You may also want to note that sick children are usually not allowed to attend. This protects both the other children and the caretaker from illnesses.

Even though a home childcare center is a good choice, there are certain rules that still apply. Don’t be afraid to interview several childcare providers in order to find the one that you are comfortable with. Once you have found a reliable caretaker, you and your child can benefit from a warm, caring environment until they are ready for school. One of the greatest benefits of choosing a home base provider is that there is often plenty of room for flexibility, so that you know your child is having their needs met.

Know more about home childcare and child daycare centers. Please visit us at ChildCareAndPreschool.Com

Many restaurants charge a lot for what they call “gourmet food”, but often these dishes are just ordinary food prepared with extreme attention to detail. In fact, the secrets to gourmet cooking are proper garnishing and proper flavor proportion.

As opposed to fast food, gourmet cooking is done with stricter attention to and concern for sanitation, taste, excellence, and presentation. One very common trick performed by gourmet chefs is to tickle the taste buds with a lot of fats, seasonings and spices. For example, when you cook at home you use typical cooking oil sold in supermarkets. However, restaurant gourmet chefs cook with a full-fat method, using olive oil or butter instead of margarine or cooking oil. They also choose fatty meat cuts and use milk instead of cream. All these methods better bring out the flavors of an elaborate meal. In fact, most gourmet steaks are cooked drenched in loads of butter.

When you shop for ingredients for home style gourmet cooking, don’t forget to buy spices and seasonings of high quality. This is a time-tested way to jazz up your home cooked meals and make them taste more like the ones for which you wait half an hour in posh restaurants.

Of course, before you select your spices you must shop for the raw materials – the main ingredients. Make sure you only buy ingredients which are fresh and organic. Yes, this includes even the flavorings; these should be organic too. For example, say that you’re aiming to cook some authentic Italian food tonight. You can fake gourmet cooking by purchasing fresh pasta instead of dried pasta. And if you and your family love pasta and you’re feeling really adventurous, you can your own make homemade noodles with a high-grade pasta machine.

Growing your own spices and herbs will also help. Put your large garden to use by planting spices such as chili, onions, and garlic. The fresher and more organic they are, the better they will taste when mixed with your main course. Further, you can save lots of time and money with this method because organically grown spices are generally very expensive. Even though less expensive powdered versions are available, these kinds of shortcuts are considered crimes against gourmet cooking.

If you’re itching to prepare a gourmet dish, just spend a little more time in the kitchen with those fresh ingredients and a trusty DIY gourmet cookbook.

Wesley has reviewed and written about the Black and Decker Toaster Oven, an appliance any family will not want to do without. For more details you can read about Black and Decker toaster oven reviews and history as well.

Wesley Lancombe has spent several years learning gourmet cooking and enjoys sharing his experiences with others. He now focuses on purchasing and testing several brands of kitchen appliances, and is in the process of compiling reviews.

The average American eats one meal, six days a week, outside of the home. Almost one half of their food budget is used for dining out. Because food portions have increased substantially, so has our weight. Our entrees and desserts have gotten larger and larger, fooling us into thinking that it’s ok to clean our plates. If they gave us this food, it’s ok to eat it, right? It’s not surprising to see that eight out of ten people over the age of 25 are overweight in America. It’s reported that about seventy-five percent of people who dine out are looking for healthier alternatives.

Many restaurants supply calorie and nutritional information in their menus. Some even offer smaller portions of their regular meals or will allow adults to purchase meals from their kiddy menu. Dining out doesn’t have to be difficult if you’re trying to eat healthy. Before going to a restaurant, visit its web site, if it has one, and look at the menu. Choose meals that work with your diet. See if items can be substituted if you need to change anything. Look at portion sizes and determine what you can and can’t eat.

If you’re going out for dinner, eat a lighter lunch. That way you won’t be adding a lot of extra calories. Don’t go to the restaurant feeling starved. Eat a piece of fruit or a low calorie English muffin that’s high in fiber an hour before you go to the restaurant. It should help you eat fewer calories when you’re dining out. You can also try a small handful of nuts to get the same results. Never start with the bread before the main meal arrives. Bread can add too many extra calories.

Make the right choices from the beginning when you’re dining out. When you order a salad ask for the dressing on the side. If you’re choosing pasta, pick one with red sauce instead of white. Choose baked potato without sour cream, you can use salsa on it instead. It’s lower in calories. Pick steamed vegetables without adding butter or sauce. They’re healthier. Sandwiches should be ordered on whole grain or wheat bread. Avoid mayonnaise and cheese on your sandwich and top it with mustard and a lot of vegetables instead. If you order an appetizer instead of a full meal, you’ll eat less. Ask for a doggie bag at the beginning of the meal and place half of it to go, so you’re not tempted to eat it. If you really want dessert, share it with another person, that way you won’t feel deprived.

For dining out guide, visit JP Pepperdine now.

Feel free to publish this article on your website, or send it to your friends, as long as you keep the resource box and the content of the article intact.

To keep your cat happy, healthy and clean it is essential to properly groom your cat. By reading this section you will learn how and when to groom your cat and also what equipment to use. You will learn how to brush your cat, bath your cat, how to clean your cats ears and how to look after your cats teeth.

Brushing and combing your cat

Cats spend 10 percent of their waking hours grooming themselves by licking dirt and excess fur of their coat but this is not enough to properly keep them clean and some cats do not clean themselves properly. You should brush and comb your cat on a regular basis. Short-hair cats are much easier to groom than long-hair cats. If you are unsure of what your cat is, visit the breeds section. When you are grooming your cat you should be alert and checking for fleas, scars, wounds and lumps.

The first thing you need to know is the difference between a cat comb and a cat brush. A cat comb is used to remove excess hair, remove knots and to remove dirt. A cat brush is to fluff up the fur and make it smooth and look good. If you own long-hair cat I would recommend buying both a comb and a brush as you will learn later on, if you own a short-hair cat it is not as important but you can if you want.

You could alternatively choose to buy a cat grooming kit which includes a comb, brush and everything else you need. You can buy the right equipment from your local pet shop but you could also consider buying online. There are many different combs and brushes to choose from and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. If you want to get the best results and not spend a fortune you should buy a wide toothed comb, a brush and a flea comb. This should all cost under $10 USD.

It is a waste of time brushing your cat with a normal comb/brush. The advantages of using a cat brush is that it shelters the natural body oils, the bristles gently remove tangles and after brushing your cat it will have a shiny, good looking and healthy coat. But most importantly it is designed to remove excess hair, then in future when your cat cleans itself it does not swallow as much hair, preventing it from having a hairball.

If you have a kitten, it should be brushed from an early age so it becomes accustomed to the process and doesn’t find it a scary and distressing experience. It will enjoy the grooming procedure but most of all you will not have to train it later on in its life. If you have an adult cat that does not like to be brushed and finds the experience frightening, introduce grooming slowly and do not make the sessions more than five minutes. If this does not work you could try ending the grooming session with playtime so your cat will look forward to it each day. One of the most important things to remember is that a short session each day is better than a long session each week.

As I briefly mentioned before, short hair cats are easier to groom than long-hair cats, it is a bit more difficult and the process can take a bit longer. If you own a short-hair cat you should groom it on a weekly basis or every few days and it should take from 5 to 10 minutes. If you own a long-hair cat grooming should be done everyday or every two days and it should take about 10 to 20 minutes. By now you are probably thinking ‘how can you brush a cat for 20 minutes’. The grooming process is not just brushing but is also cleaning nose and ears if necessary and sometimes brushing your cat’s teeth. For more information about these, read on.

To groom your cat, follow these easy steps:

-Place your cat on a bench or table. It depends on what your cat is most comfortable with; some owners brush their cat on their laps.

-Gently brush from head to tale using short and gentle strokes with your comb to remove knots, do not pull hard otherwise it will hurt and distress your cat, making the experience unpleasant and enjoyable. For best results also brush under its neck and stomach. If you have a flea comb, brush again from head to tale.

-Use a brush to fluff up the fur, if you are unsure of what brush to use ask your local pet shop. A cat brush is good for your cat’s appearance and health and can be brought from a number of different places.

Bathing your cat

It is not necessary to bath your cat unless it becomes very dirty. Most people who have prize-winning cats bath their cat on a regular basis. Many cats do not like water and find a bath a frightening and traumatic experience. If you ever need to bath your cat, the below information will tell you how. The first thing you need to do is to brush your cat to remove excess hair and dirt. Talk to your cat with relaxed voice to keep it as calm as possible and do no make quick movements. Have everything ready before you start which should consist of 4-6 towels, shampoo, a hair dryer and cotton balls. You can use special cat shampoo or you can use regular shampoo but it really doesn’t make a difference.

Use cotton balls to protect water from getting into your cats ears. If your cat has smaller ears use only half or even a quarter. If you have a bathroom or laundry hose, use it because it makes it much easier. If you don’t have a hose use a cup or plastic container. You should not wear good clothes because the chances are that you will end up as wet as your cat. Wash your cat in a bath or a laundry sink. Start by wetting it with warm water. Avoid wetting its eyes and ears as much as possible unless it particularly dirty.

Hold your cat firmly because it will try to escape and probably bite and scratch you. Once the cat is wet apply shampoo and gently massage. If your cat is really dirty you can shampoo twice. Rinse your cat from top to bottom and make sure you get all of the shampoo out. Use the towels to dry your cat as best as you can then finish the job off with a hairdryer.

Cleaning your cats ears

Cleaning your cat’s ears should be a part of your grooming routine. To get rid of the dirt and wax, use a cotton swab but never go deeper than you can see because it can cause permanent damage to your cats hearing. It should be done every month.

Dental Care (article)

Many people do not brush their cats teeth often enough, some have never done it. If your cat’s teeth are not brushed, bacteria will build up and could result in loss of teeth. You should brush your cat’s teeth every week. If you have a kitten you should start brushing when all of its 36 teeth have grown which is around 6 months of age. If you have an adult cat, introduce slowly and keep the sessions short.

You can buy special toothbrushes designed for cats but a child’s toothbrush will be just as good, just make sure the bristles are soft so they do not cut the gums. Do not use normal toothpaste because it will cause digestive problems and make your cat sick. You can buy special cat toothpaste from your pet shop, vet or online.

To properly brush your cat’s teeth start by gently brushing the outer surface of the teeth. Do not brush the inside of the teeth until your cat is used to the process. Brush in a circular motion from the bottom of the gum to the tips of the teeth. Some cats require professional cleaning when there is a severe build up of tartar. When brushing your cat’s teeth note the condition of your cat’s gums.

Consult your vet if the gums are swollen, if there is any bleeding, bad breath, drooling, dark spots, sores, refusal to open mouth or reluctance to eat. If your cat has any of these symptoms there is a chance that it has gum disease. Gum disease is common in cats and can be fatal unless treated. It begins with the build up of plaque and tartar which causes the roots to become infected. This can be prevented by regular brushing.

If you liked what you read here, visit iPod Articles [http://www.frozenipod.com] for more information on all aspects of iPod. You may also be interested in iBid Blue and iBid Red

Skiing is one of the most exciting adventure sports which have become quite popular in India. Firstly introduced by the Europeans, it has now gained immense attention and has now emerged as one of the most loving and thrilling sports for the adventure enthusiasts. The wonderful and diverse land of our country is blessed with a plethora of ski destinations such as Jammu and Kashmir, snow capped hill ranges of Himalayas and the North eastern states which have become the favored skiing resorts for the adventure lovers from India and abroad.

Skiing is mainly a winter sport when the snow clad slopes of mountain ranges in India add to the thrill and excitement of the avid skier and ignite the adventurous spirit and power in his heart to enjoy this fantastic adventure. In India, Gulmarg is a famous skiing destination which captivates a lot of tourists in winters to enjoy skiing. It is in fact the beginner’s ski hideout providing sufficient skiing equipments and facilities where you can enjoy some of your best time while skiing down the snowy slopes.

Auli in Uttaranchal is also a great skiing spot endowed with snow dressed slopes and evergreen forests. Located at a distance of 16 km from Joshimath, Auli offers fantastic opportunities for cross country and snow hill-skiing. It also organizes the National Winter Games Championship every year. Some of the scenic spots of Dayara Bugyal and Mundali in Garhwal district also provide fabulous ski slopes for the beginners and professionals in the lap of snow capped beautiful Himalayas.

The state of Himachal Pradesh in India is endowed with majestic silvery mountains and snowy slopes abounding with panoramic landscapes and breathtaking natural beauty. There are the world famous destinations of Kufri, Manali and Narkanda which offer excellent natural snow slopes and facilities to make you dip into the superb pleasure of snow skiing.

Thus, the amazing hill stations of India are packed up with vast snow clad slopes and unexplored valleys and glaciers making it one of the favored skiing destinations for the adventure seekers all over the globe. So, what are you waiting for? Just pack your bags and get ready to explore the wonderful snow lands to zoon into with your skies.

A media professional, traveler and a writer.

Pregnancy can be a fascinating phase with so many changes taking place and so many things to look forward to such as the need for comfortable maternity clothes. The joy of creating life, watching your belly grow as well as having to deal with the many pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness make the pregnancy period a time to cherish!

It is usually during the second trimester that you may start to feel the need for comfortable maternity clothes. As the body begins to experience change, our regular clothes start to feel uncomfortable and tight. Shopping for maternity clothes at your favorite mall or in the many online stores can be fun as there are clothes to suit any pocket.

While buying the clothes care should be taken to buy comfortable and lasting clothes. There are maternity dresses, evening wear, coats and jackets, pants and jeans, tops and blouses, shorts and beachwear, swimwear etc. You may buy clothes to wear at home such as pajamas and night gowns; you may have the choice to buy stylish maternity clothes, trendy party, and office wear items too.

Maternity apparel requires careful selection as you just cannot buy them by only looking at them. They have to fit your growing body at the right places; you do not want to add to any other discomforts by wearing ill fitting clothes.

You may buy limited maternity apparel at a time, buying new clothes each month as these will help you get the right fit. It may be unfortunate if you buy too many maternity clothes at a time only to find out that you outgrew them within a month or so.

A Few Tips For Buying Maternity Clothes

While buying maternity clothes, consider the weather and buy appropriate clothing, buy clothes that will help you stay warm and comfortable during winter and clothes that are light and breezy during the summer months.

While selecting lingerie, moderation is again recommended as you may require a bigger size as your pregnancy progresses. Buy clothes that are practical and easy to maintain as you may not have the inclination or the time to pamper the clothes!

If money is a constraint you can always make do with a few comfortable pairs of maternity jeans and plus sized t-shirts. Log online and look up sites that sell maternity clothes at great discounts, you can buy many comfortable dresses if you find the right store with appropriate clothing.

Towards the eighth month it is better to shop for delivery kits and nursing clothes. If you are prepared in advance you may save yourself the trouble of finding the right clothes when you may not have the time for it.

Buy trendy maternity clothes, chic clothes and create a mood and a style for each day, have fun buying and wearing funny maternity clothes, buy practical maternity and nursing pajamas and sleep well at nights. Pregnancy is a unique period in your life and it passes so fast that you have to find ways to help make it a memorable and enjoyable period of your life, wearing maternity clothes that help you look great is just one way of celebrating motherhood.

Gone are the days when you had to make do with ill-fitting clothes during maternity. Now with a wide range of maternity-clothes such as maternity T shirts, maternity gowns and maternity special occasion dresses available, you can feel and look good all through your pregnancy period. Read more about maternity clothing and other aspects of pregnancy on Pregnancy-Period.Com

By only knowing how to read electronic schematic diagram and testing electronic components were not enough to make us a good electronic repairers. Many faults can’t be detected even if you know how to accurately test and check all the electronic components because those faults only can be detected by simply performing a voltage test. Do you know that quite a numbers of Monitor problems I have to perform a voltage test in order to locate the defective components? Yes, if without voltage testing, I might end up can’t find the fault and the Monitor have to be return back to customers. What if you return many Monitors back to the same customers? Of course your business reputation would be affected and worst if your competitors (other electronic repairers) be able to repair it. You would definitely lose out the customers and is very difficult to get back his trust again about your capability to repair Monitors.

I do know lots of electronic repairers especially newbie’s do not have the courage to perform the voltage test especially Computer Monitors and Television because they were afraid of the high voltage and get electrocuted. Well, if you want to work in this line and choose not to learn about voltage testing (because of afraid), then you are truly missing something that can help you to repair any equipment fast. After all, voltage testing is not that as dangerous as you thought to be. With some guidance from repair friends or even you test it on your own (practical) and protection from isolation transformer, I don’t see any other reasons you don’t want to do the voltage testing. Besides this of course you must know the safety guidelines first in this electronic servicing field.

The real challenging question now is even though you know how to perform the voltage testing; this does not guarantee that you will definitely being able to solve the electronic problems! As to why you can’t solve the problems depends on many factors such as:

- How well you are in understanding the functions of electronic circuit (assuming I’m talking on the Monitor circuit). Some Monitors circuits can be very complicated to understand it.

- How good you are in tracing the electronic circuit (assuming you are tracing from the source to the faulty components) because many electronic repairers will lost track and can’t go further to detect the fault.

- How knowledgeable you are in understanding each function of the electronic component. For example, if no signal flowing to the base of a transistor, of course there would be no current flowing between the collector and the emitter. Another example, what do you expect the output voltage will be if 100 volts is passing through between a 10 ohm resistor and a 10 k ohms resistor?

- Sometimes in order to solve a problem we accidentally create even more problems due to that we do not have the capability to hold tight the meter’s probes causing it to touch on other pins while measuring a components (says is an IC or a transistor). This would cause the whole equipment to shutdown or even burnt the components. How many of you have done that before?

- We must also know what the range of the meter setting is in order to test the electronic circuit accurately. For example, would you test the secondary output voltages when your meter is set to AC range? Or would you expect a reading when your meter’s red probe touches on a cold ground?

From above, these are the things that you should know if you want to be successfully able to perform a voltage test on any equipment. It is not that easy to absorb everything that I’ve just mentioned above but if you have the passion to do it (I mean learn everything from reading electronics books, visiting forum, doing your own practical test and etc) then you are giving yourself a chance to learn something that will truly benefit to you.

In this week’s article I’m going to show you how by performing a voltage test has helped me to solve an unusual problem in a Computer Monitor.

Well, this monitor with the brand name of MIMOS (this is an OEM Monitor) came in with the complaint of can’t adjust horizontal size (there’s totally no changes when the horizontal size control was pressed). The display width (size) was large and both sides of the display curved inward (pincushion out). For your information, the horizontal size and pincushion circuit were located in the same area and both circuits were working together in order to achieve a desire display. If one component in a circuit fails, it would affect another circuit as well! That’s why, when the horizontal size circuit have problem, the pincushion circuitry was affected too (the display curved inward).

Normally when I see this kind of problem, I would usually check and test all the components in the horizontal size and pincushion circuits’ area with my ESR, analog and digital meter. Most of the time, I could solve the problem fast. The common faulty parts for horizontal size width problem in a Monitor were usually dry joints, shorted modulation diode and pincushion transistor and capacitor opens along the horizontal size coil’s line. But somehow I could not locate the faulty components in this Monitor because all of the components that I’ve checked were all tested okay!

Since I have checked all the components in the horizontal size and pincushion circuit area to be okay, now the only way to solve it is through using voltage test. Generally, whenever if you want to perform voltage testing, one must start from the source first. However if you are experience enough you can always skip some section and start tracing the circuit that you think would fail. As there are many electronic repair newbie’s in this ERG member site, I would show all of you how to trace from the source first.

Now think carefully, what makes the display to become small or big whenever the horizontal size control was pressed through the On Screen Display (OSD)? There must be a signal sends out from somewhere to the horizontal size circuit in order to control the display. Am I right? The pincushion transistor has a base pin and if this voltage varies (because of the horizontal size control either set to minimum or maximum) the display will change too. You can choose to trace backward starts from the base pin of the pincushion transistor or start from the source. I will guide you to trace from the source because once you know how to trace from the source, you would be able to troubleshoot and repair other Monitor problems too such as can’t control the brightness, contrast, vertical and horizontal height. You may use this method that I’m about to show you in TV and other electronic equipment as well.

First you must understand what is the function of digital to analog conversion (DAC) circuit. Since most of the modern Monitors are using digital signal (communication between the CPU and EEPROM and other circuits as well) there must be some circuit to convert the digital signal to analog signal in order to drive the pincushion transistor and others electronic circuits too. Our normal multimeter can’t measure digital signal, it can only read analog signal. Older Monitors have the DAC IC located out site the CPU (such as the TDA8444 IC used in NEC XV 14 Monitor) while for modern Monitors the DAC IC is built into the CPU. I guess you are now understood why a digital circuit needs a DAC as part of it complete circuit. In other words, the DAC is required to communicate with the analog world!

In this faulty Monitor, I don’t see any DAC IC nearby the CPU so I presumed that the DAC was already built into the CPU. Now, this is the most challenging part where you have to carefully adjust the Monitor position and yourself so that when the Monitor power is switch “ON” you can perform the voltage test on all the pins at the CPU. Assuming you have taken all the necessary safety and precautions now is the time to switch on the Monitor and start to do voltage testing.

After you got hold of the Monitor, select the horizontal size control through the OSD screen. You could see when the “+” and “-” buttons was pressed at the front panel, the number in the OSD display indicates the minimum and maximum value representing the size of the display being adjusted. Since this is a faulty Monitor, although the number in the OSD screen is changing (because you are pressing the “+” and “-”) there is no effect on the display and the display remains big and curved. But somehow you could measure the pins at the CPU to locate which one of the pins the voltage is changing when the adjustment button is press! Try one by one of the CPU pins until you saw one that has effect when the horizontal size control was pressed. The voltage is about 0 to 5 volts (depends on the design of Monitors) and should go up or down momentarily when the horizontal size adjustment is changing. Congratulation! You are now have determined the source of the horizontal size circuit. One word of advice, a defective CPU or a corrupted EEPROM data could cause no signal at the horizontal size source pin!

Once you have known the pin then it is relatively easy to find out the fault. Start tracing from the pin and see at where the voltage had missing as shown in this photo. Surprisingly the voltage remains okay even till pin 5 (inverting input) of the quad operational amplifier LM324 IC. Since this is an OP-AMP IC, it requires two inputs (inverting and non-inverting input) to produce an output at pin 7 but the voltage at pin 7 would not vary. And if this output won’t vary definitely it can’t control the horizontal size. Pin 5 voltage of the LM324 IC varies and pin 7 don’t varies then most probably the problem is either in the IC itself or components that are related to pin 6 (non-inverting input). I saw a wire coming from top of the board and upon inspecting it; it was from B+ voltage (about 66 VDC) and passing through a resistor before reaching pin 6 of the OP-AMP IC. Using my analog meter to measure across the high ohms resistor (820k), I found it to be zero voltage. In order to really confirm is the resistor fault, I desoldered one of the lead and check with my ohmmeter. Guess what? The resistor has open circuit! Unbelievable and it was true! Replacing with a new resistor restored the display back to normal.

Conclusion- Imagine if I didn’t use the voltage testing method, I don’t know how long that I’m going to spend on troubleshooting this kind of problem. And worst still, I may end up can’t solve the problem and return the Monitor back to my customer. With constant learning and practice in electronic repair you will have no problem in tackling any electronic faults in the future. Just don’t give up and continue to learn from the ERG member’s page. Thank You for being my member.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer and if you want to become a professional in testing electronic components please visit his website at http://www.TestingElectronicComponents.com

You know the feeling. You spend hours, or even days, creating a resume. You pore over every word of your cover letter and agonize over what to say in your email. Then you hit ’send’ and wait. And wait. And wait. No one calls. No one writes. You don’t know if anyone even saw your resume. When this happens, it’s easy to get dejected and worry that employers are not interested in you. Don’t! Remember, they haven’t met you. They have only seen your resume and that may be the problem.

An overwhelming majority of job seekers make basic mistakes with their resumes – mistakes that ensure that they will not get the interviews they deserve. If you feel as though you’re sending your resume into a black hole, try this ‘10 Step Program’ to diagnose problems and get your resume working for you.

1. Is your résumé the right length?

You may have heard that your resume should fit on one page. This is nonsense. Recruiter or hiring managers don’t care if your resume is one or two pages long. But they do care whether it is easy to read and gives key information upfront. Your resume can be one, two, or (occasionally) even three pages. The only rule is that the length should be appropriate for you. If in doubt follow the (very general) rule of thumb that less than 5 years experience probably only requires one page and more than that may need two.

2. Does your resume clearly position you as someone who can meet the needs of the employer?

Think of a resume as an advertisement for a product, only this time the product is you. Just like any other advertisement, positioning is everything. The person who receives your resume will scan it quickly – perhaps for no more than 20 seconds – to determine whether you can help her company. Your job is to say quickly, clearly and loudly that you can!

Don’t just launch into a chronology of your career history. Instead, determine your own positioning by spelling out your message at the start of the resume and giving the reader your version of events upfront. For this reason, you should use the first 1/3 of your resume to create a compelling personal profile which highlights your key strengths in an attractive, easy-to-read format.

3. Does your résumé begin with an objective?

Don’t start with an objective. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like them because they focus on the needs of the job seeker rather than the needs of the potential employer. Consider this objective statement:

“Seeking a software engineer position with a progressive employer where I can contribute to the development of new technologies and work with bright, committed people.”

This may be very honest but it is irrelevant to the reader, who does not care what you want and only cares what you have to offer. Instead of an objective, try using a positioning statement that clearly and concisely explains what you have to offer.

“Senior Software Engineer with 10 years experience developing leading-edge technologies.”

Now the reader can immediately see your value to the company. (For even greater impact, tailor this statement for each position so that the reader immediately sees a match between his/her needs and your skills.)

4. Does your resume contain specifics?

You must place your achievements in context by providing specifics. For example, don’t say something vague like “contributed to product design.” This tells the employer nothing about your actual contribution. Instead be specific about what you did:

“Conducted market analysis for (name of product) to determine design and mechanics. Led changes to original design spec. despite initial developer objections. Received critical acclaim and sold over 4 million units.”

See how being specific makes a difference? This level of detail shows the reader the contributions you have made in the past (and therefore the contributions you can be expected to make in the future.)

5. Have you outlined achievements as well as responsibilities?

Don’t provide a laundry list of responsibilities without showing what results you achieved. Most employers already know what the main responsibilities of your job were. They want to know what makes you different from all the other applicants. An effective resume summarizes job responsibilities in a few sentences and then provides details of quantifiable achievements.

Focus most of your resume on the results you accomplished, not the regular duties of your job.

6. Are there any typos?

Your resume has to be perfect. Proofread it over and over again. When you are sure it’s perfect, have other people proof it! If even one word is misspelled the reader will assume that you didn’t know how to spell the word (this is bad) or that you didn’t care (this is even worse!) Nothing puts the reader off more quickly than misspellings or typos.

7. Is the resume easy to read?

At least 50% of the impact of your resume derives from design. A strong resume design will pull the eye through the document, making it easy to keep reading and will highlight your key strengths clearly. But if your resume is badly laid out, disorganized or hard to read, it will be discarded before the reader knows how qualified you are.

To see examples of how to lay out your resume, go to the library or bookstore and look in the career section. You will find collections of sample resumes. Take time to understand how the page has been laid out and then apply what you’ve learned to your resume.

8. Have you listed irrelevant information?

Don’t list your hobbies unless they directly support your qualifications for the position. Don’t detail your marital status or the number of children you have. Don’t mention non-professional affiliations such as political or religious volunteer work unless it directly relates to the position you are applying for. Any personal information runs the risk of turning the reader off. However proud you are of personal achievements, you should not run the risk of alienating someone before you even have your foot in the door.

9. Are you too modest?

Don’t be uncomfortable about blowing your own trumpet. Too many people play down their achievements. While you should never exaggerate on a resume, you should definitely take credit for the things you’ve accomplished. Some people feel uncomfortable boasting on paper preferring to explain in an interview. But if your resume doesn’t spark interest, you may never get that opportunity, so don’t be modest!

10. Have you created an internet-ready version of resume?

If you have to post your resume online, or apply to a job via an online system, you will need to convert your resume to a text-only format. If you don’t do this, your resume will be almost impossible to read because most online systems cannot support the type of formatting used in a resume (bold, italics, bullet points, lines etc.)

Summary

When you send your resume out, it must speak articulately for you. You can’t explain inconsistencies, clear up confusion or fill in things that are missing. Your resume has to make your sales pitch in a clear and compelling manner within 20 seconds. Invest the time to make it exceptional and you will see an immediate increase in the response rate.

Louise Fletcher is the President of Blue Sky Resumes (http://www.blueskyresumes.com). She is also the Co-founder and Managing Editor of Career Hub (http://careerhub.typepad.com), a leading source of free job search information for professionals and executives. Louise is a frequent contributor to job search publications such as Monster.com, The Ladders, Net-Temps, Job Bank USA and Employment Spot, and her work is featured in numerous resume books, including the JISTworks “Expert Resume” series. A recognized leader in cutting-edge job search techniques, Louise has helped 1,000s of professionals secure a better position through effective career marketing.

When it comes to the task of having a pet there are certain requirements connected to having pet supplies to meet your pets living needs. Although its true that many businesses offer few kinds of pet supplies available to the general public, the reality is that their restricted assortment offers few options to the pet owner regarding the options in discovering the very best price and the best product for their pet friend. So as to actually discover the best selection of pet supplies available, a pet owner should look into the possibilities which are found online. With the on-line environment a pet owner would be able to discover the widest selection of pet supplies along with competitive prices to ensure they are getting the best value for their investment.

A prime instance of the need for possibilities when it comes to pet supplies can be found with a dog owners need to discover the greatest dog supplies. There are a wide variety of dog supplies required by a dog owner and when that person doesn’t purchase the top quality dog supplies at the best possible price it’ll be commonplace to have to regularly buy replacements. Just because a pet store or supermarket location provides some dog supplies it doesn’t mean that you’re investing in the best product for the price that you are paying. An illustration of this is discovered with the dog supplies of dog beds.

Dog beds come in many different shapes, sizes and with many different fillings. Understanding all the different features which are affiliated with the dog supplies of dog beds could make sure that you’re buying a long lasting product that would provide comfort for your furry friend.

The similar necessity for options regarding pet supplies could be found when you’re searching for fish supplies. When you invest in the purchase of fish, fish supplies are very essential to measure. With these pets you really have to create an environment for them to survive in and without the right pet supplies they’ll likely die. An important example of having the right fish supplies is found with your aquarium choice. The size of your aquarium would help establish many different parameters as well as the number of fish that you would be able to have and the many fish supplies you will require to create their hospitable environment. Fish supplies for an aquarium usually include filters, lights, food distributors, vegetation and decorative accessories.

When it comes to helping your animal friend live a long and healthy life there is nothing much more useful than the purchase of the best pet supplies available.

Do you know the important dog supplies that a dog owner should own? April’s Window’s mission is to offer an online pet store with the highest quality pet supplies to our customers, at the lowest price possible. Visit the site http://www.AprilsWindow.com to know more…

One of the biggest problems for most people is simply understanding the health insurance benefits that they have. For the most part, health insurance policies try to be user-friendly in their wording, but many people are just not familiar with medical and insurance terminology.

Most health insurance policies also provide something similar to a cheat sheet which gives the basic outline of policy coverage and covers the most common medical services. However, you need to be sure that you understand the different things that are excluded under your plan. Many health insurance plans provide limited benefits for services such as mental health, chiropractic services, and occupational health. Even physical therapy and home health care are often limited to a certain number of visits per year.

Co-payment or Co-pay

A co-payment is a pre-determined amount that you must pay a medical provider for a particular type of service. For example, you may be required to pay a $15 co-payment when you visit your doctor. In this instance, you must pay $15 to the doctor’s office at the time of the visit. Normally, you are not required to pay any additional fees — your health insurance company will pay the rest. However, in some cases, if your health insurance policy specifies it, you may be responsible for a co-payment and then a percentage of the remaining balance.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount of your medical expenses you must pay for before the health insurance company will begin to pay benefits. Most health insurance plans have a calendar-year deductible which means that in January of every new year the deductible requirement starts over again. So, if your calendar year deductible is $1500, as long as your medical expenses for the current year do not exceed $1500 the insurance company pays nothing for that year. Once January of the new year starts, you have to begin again to pay for $1500 of your own medical expenses.

Coinsurance

Coinsurance (or out-of-pocket expense) is the amount or percentage of each medical charge that you are required to pay. For example, you may have a $100 medical charge. Your health insurance company will pay 80% of the charge and you are responsible for the additional 20%. The 20% is your coinsurance amount.

Coinsurance accrues throughout the year. If you have a large number of medical charges in one year, you may meet the coinsurance maximum requirement for your policy. At that point, any covered charges will be paid at 100% for the remainder of the calendar year.

Stop loss or out-of-pocket expense limit

Sometimes you will hear the out-of-pocket expense limit referred to as your stop loss or coinsurance amount. Basically, this is the amount you will need to pay out of your own pocket per calendar year before the health insurance company pays everything at 100%.

You will need to check your policy because many policies that require co-payments do not allow these co-payments to go toward the out-of-pocket amount. For example, you may have reached your out-of-pocket maximum for the year, so if you are admitted to the hospital you may pay nothing. However, since you have to pay a $15 co-payment every time you visit the doctor, you will still have to make this co-payment.

Lifetime maximum benefit

This is the maximum amount that the health insurance company will pay toward your medical expenses for the lifetime of your policy. Generally, this amount is in the millions of dollars. Unless you have a very severe condition, you will not likely exhaust this amount.

Preferred Provider Organization

A Preferred Provider Organization (also known as a PPO) is a group of participating medical providers who have agreed to work with the health insurance company at a discounted rate. It’s a win-win situation for each side. The insurance company has to pay less money and the providers receive automatic referrals.

In most health insurance policies, you will see different benefit levels depending on whether you visit a participating or nonparticipating provider. A PPO plan provides more flexibility for the insured person because they can visit either a participating or nonparticipating provider. They just receive a better price if they use a participating one.

Health Maintenance Organization

A Health Maintenance Organization (also known as an HMO) is a health insurance plan which restricts you to only using specified medical providers. Generally, unless you are out of the area of their network, no benefits are payable if you go to a nonparticipating physician. Typically, you are required to select one main doctor who will be your Primary Care Physician (PCP). Any time you have a health problem, you must visit this doctor first. If they feel that you need it, they will refer you to another network provider. However, you cannot just decide on your own to visit a specialist; you must go through your PCP.

Medically necessary

You will see this term in all health insurance policies, and it is a frequent cause of denied claims. Most insurance companies will not cover any expenses that they do not consider medically necessary. Just because you and/or your doctor consider something medically necessary, your health insurance company may not. For this reason, you always need to verify that any costly procedures you are considering will be covered.

Routine treatment

Routine treatment is generally defined as preventive services. For example, a yearly physical examination that you have on a regular basis is generally considered to be routine. Many of the immunizations that children and adults receive fall under this classification. Some insurance companies provide limited coverage for routine treatment; others provide no benefits at all.

Pre-existing condition

A pre-existing condition is a condition that you acquired and/or received treatment for prior to the effective date of your current health insurance policy. Health insurance companies vary on how they treat pre-existing conditions. Some companies will not give you coverage at all if you have certain chronic pre-existing conditions. Others will give you coverage but will not provide any benefits for a period of time — usually from 12-24 months. Still, other health insurance companies will specifically exclude a pre-existing condition from a policy and will never provide any benefits for that condition.

Be sure that you are very clear on the pre-existing limitations of your policy so that you are not unpleasantly surprised when you visit your doctor.

Explanation of Benefits

This is the form that the health insurance company sends you after they complete the handling of your claim. It details the bill they received and how they processed it. It is commonly called an EOB.

Coordination of Benefits

If you are eligible for benefits under more than one health insurance plan, your various health insurance companies will need to coordinate benefits. This insures that no more than 100% of the total charge is paid. There are many variations on how this situation can occur. In general, the primary company makes their payment first. Then you file a copy of the charges with the secondary company along with a copy of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the primary company. The secondary company usually picks up the remainder of the bill.

Participating provider

A participating provider is a medical provider who has signed a contract with a health insurance company or health insurance network to charge pre-determined rates to patients who are in the network.

Nonparticipating provider

A nonparticipating provider is a medical provider who does not have a contract with a particular health insurance company or network. If you use a nonparticipating provider, you will generally pay a larger portion of the bill. In some cases, you may be responsible for the entire bill.

Limited benefit plans

These are not considered to be comprehensive medical insurance plans. Instead, they provide very specific, limited benefits for different types of services. For example, they may provide a flat rate for each day you stay in the hospital or pay a limited amount for each surgical procedure that you have.

Typically, they are marketed toward people who cannot afford or are unable to obtain more comprehensive coverage due to pre-existing health conditions. Or, they may be geared toward people who have high-deductible plans. The good thing about these plans is that they generally pay in addition to any other coverage you may have. Therefore, no coordination of benefits is required.

If this is your only coverage, be aware that you will usually have to pay a large portion of any bill as these limited plans do not usually pay large amounts per day. For example, it may actually cost you $1000 a day to stay in the hospital. If your limited benefit plan pays you $200 a day for each day you spend in the hospital, you will be personally responsible for the remaining $800 per day.

Medicare supplement plans

People who have Medicare often choose to purchase a Medicare supplement plan as Medicare does not usually cover medical charges in full. Medicare continues to change and add new options but, in general, a supplemental plan pays the balance of the medical charges after Medicare pays its portion. For example, most Medicare supplements will pick up the Medicare deductible.

Some policies also pay for some of the charges that Medicare may not cover. There are many different policy variations. If you are not sure what you are purchasing, consider contacting a broker that assists senior citizens.

Steven D. Smith is a licensed life and health insurance professional and CEO of SDS Financial, LLC. He is also the author of the “2008 Guide to Choosing and Using Your Health Insurance Plan” and “Your Guide To Good Health Insurance”. Other articles and books about Health Insurance written by Steven Smith can be found at his website [http://www.prohealthquotes.com]

For an immediate health insurance quote comparing 200+ quality plans, visit [http://www.prohealthquotes.com]

High performance bowling balls are not the same as regular bowling balls. In fact, virtually every kind of bowling balls will differ at least slightly depending on their purpose. As I mentioned, There are many different kinds of bowling ball equipment and accessories that can help you maintain the condition of your high performance ball, and high quality is a must when you need high performance bowling balls.

Obviously you do not want to purchase a great, professional, bowling ball for a child who just likes to play and does not belong to a league or a team–but sometimes you need the very best.

If you are really interested in keeping your bowling balls perfect as the day you purchased them–high performance bowling balls will need equipment and accessories to keep them in top-of-the-line shape. High performance balls are the most important kinds of bowling balls to maintain. The condition of your high performance bowling balls can really affect your game.

There are incredibly highly technologically advanced bowling ball accessory items such as cleaners, and polishers, being developed by all of the top manufacturers. And the very best cleaners, polishes, gloves, etc will keep your high performance bowling balls the way you want.

When you purchase high performance bowling merchandise you have certain expectations. Purchasing excellent high performance bowling balls, and treating them with care will provide the very best performance possible. You will be ready to take on the competition with your high performance equipment–especially bowling balls because they do give any player an advantage over everyone else. The rest is up to your skills as a bowler.

Shiny, high performance bowling balls chosen carefully among a vast selection of the absolute high performance bowling balls are the high quality you want if you are a serious bowling enthusiast. And we know you will love keeping your high performance bowling balls pleasing to the eye. Look around online to find the very best performance bowling balls you can get.

The most important thing about bowling is that you have fun doing it, right. However, especially in competitive bowling scenarios, a high score sure helps you have more fun than a low one. When you use the right ball polishes you will have the perfect amount of slide for your bowling ball. Go ahead–go high quality–technique, ability, training, practice, great equipment and high performance bowling balls are the requirements that make a great bowler.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, recreation, education and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about bowling and bowling balls, please visit High Performance Bowling Balls.

Have you been spending money on countless job boards, only to find that they don’t offer the types of candidates you need? If the answer is yes, don’t fret any longer, you’re about to learn crafty techniques to help you find free resumes on the net. There are numerous free resources online that offer resumes. These include: Free Resume Databases; Free Member Resumes on Association websites; Free College and Alumni resumes on University websites; Free Resume Newsgroups; Free Resume Blaster sites and active and passive resumes hosted on individual candidate websites. All of these resources can be found by using simple search techniques.

You will soon have hundreds of free resumes at your fingertips. The first step is to utilize multiple search engines since they will each offer different sites. The top 10 search engines suggested are: http://www.google.com, http://www.yahoo.com, http://www.altavista.com, http://www.excite.com, http://www.hotbot.com, http://www.alltheweb.com, http://www.galaxy.com, http://www.search.aol.com, http://www.msn.com, http://www.lycos.com. The search engines offer their own search features and they vary slightly. Therefore, it’s important to always read the search tips and check out the advanced search tool for each search engine. The common search symbols used across most search engines are called Boolean phrases.

Using Boolean Phrases

The first step is to choose one of the search engines from the above list and type the address in your Internet browser. Then decide what key words would be effective for finding the type of resource you want. Once you have a list of key words, use the following Boolean techniques to run the most efficient search.

o If searching for a phrase on a webpage, place the statement between quotation marks. Example: “free resume database”

o If searching for multiple words use the word AND between each word. Make sure to capitalize all 3 letters. Example: free AND resumes AND java

o If interested in finding one or more words, use the term OR between your key words. Example: “free resumes” AND java OR oracle OR php

o If looking for resumes that have a specific word with multiple possible endings such as: manager, management, managed, use an asterisk at the end of the base word. Example: manage* This will pull websites with all of the words that start with that base word.

o If searching for specific titles, type the word title: and then fill in the title of choice. Example: title: free resumes. This will pull websites with the words Free Resumes in the html title.

o If looking for URLs that have the word resume in the URL address, type the command URL: resume.

o If looking for a website with specific text such as: free resume search, type the command text: free resume search.

Below you’ll find suggestions of Boolean phrases and keywords to use that will help you find the free resume resources listed above. At the end of this article you will also find a suggested website that can give you access to hundreds of free resume resources instantly.

Free Resume Databases (These sites allow you to search through a database of resumes)

o “free resume database”

o “search for free” AND resumes

o “free resume search”

o text: free resumes

o free AND resume*

Association Websites offering Member Resumes (Many associations or organizations offer sections on their websites where members, who are looking for jobs, can post their resumes)

o “member resumes” AND association OR organization

o url: memberresumes

o text: search member resumes

o member AND resumes

o title: association AND resumes

Free College and Alumni resumes at University websites (Some Universities offer a section on their website where students, looking for internships, can post their resumes. Some also have pages where alumni can also post their resumes, when searching for work)

o “alumni resumes”

o url: edu AND resumes

o alumni OR student AND resumes

o text: alumni resumes

o university AND resumes OR cv

Free Resume Newsgroups (Newsgroups are email lists where people can post various things. There are several free resume newsgroups.)

o “free resumes” AND newsgroups

o newgroup* AND resumes

o url: newsgroup

o text: newsgroup

Free Resume Blaster Sites (These sites send resumes to your inbox after you fill out a form describing the types of resumes you need.)

o “resume distribution”

o “blast your resume”

Active or Passive individual candidate resumes on individual web pages. (There are thousands of personal resumes posted on the web. Some are active and some passive. Using the 4 numbers of the current year in your search can help you find more active resumes)

o url: resume AND 2005

o url: resume AND java AND oracle AND php

o resume AND experience AND education AND java OR oracle

o title: resume AND manage*

Now you’re ready to begin your search for free resume resources. If you find that your busy schedule doesn’t allow enough time for you to run searches to find a substantial amount of free resume resources, you should visit http://www.freeresumesites.com. They have already compiled an extensive list of hundreds of free resume databases, association websites, college resume sites, free resume newsgroups, free resume blaster sites, free job posting sites and links to pages that offer individual resumes. They charge a very minimal fee to access this list. This site can save you time and will provide you with all-of-the free resume resources mentioned in this article.

Remember, the Internet is an amazing resource for recruiters and if you don’t want to spend large sums of money on useless job boards, you now have the skills it takes to find free resumes. Good luck with your recruiting efforts!

Kim Proulx is a professional Internet Researcher with 10 years of experience.

Internet Marketing is very trendy because it’s an easy way to make money online from home. Whether you want to replace your job’s salary or just want to earn some extra cash, internet marketing is the best way of potentially doing what you enjoy.

With an internet marketing business, you can earn some money and get some checks rolling in. But the checks you get in the post are just the icing on the cake!

The benefits of starting your own internet marketing business are simply staggering. Presented in this article are all the key benefits you get by starting your own internet marketing business.

After reading them, I am sure you will ask yourself “Why am I not into internet marketing?!”

1. You are THE BOSS! Yes, this is the most fantastic benefit of having your own internet marketing business. You call the shots! No pressures of a demanding boss or work mates. You escape the rat race, no sitting in the car in the traffic! You set your own hours and targets. You work in your own home, in your own hours.

2. The money is YOURS! If you work hard, the benefits are all yours – isn’t that great? What you earn is not fixed or decided by someone else who thinks they know what you are ‘worth’.

3. Better work-life balance. Do you know how enslaving it is to be stuck with your 9-5 job that does not pay you anywhere near what you actually need to make ends meet. With internet marketing, you get a better work-life balance since you can work from home and set your own goals. You just have to set down your goals of how much you want to earn with your online business and go for it! You can work from home and spend more time with your beloved ones.

4. You can start building your internet marketing business while working part time, until you are ready to get into it full time. You can still keep your job that pays the bills while you are building your internet marketing “empire”. No pressure – you set your targets and you go from there! With an internet marketing business, you can work on it around your current job or commitments. It’s unlike other types of businesses where if you start, you have to be involved ‘hands-on’ full time straight away.

5. Small initial capital outlay. Most businesses require you to have a huge amount of savings to get started. With internet marketing, you can start on any shoe string budget and gradually build your business. You can start an internet marketing business by joining an affiliate program for free and market it using the free or cheap advertising methods and start getting some checks coming in.

6. Low operating costs. With other businesses, you will be looking at high monthly bills to cover personnel, rent etc. With internet marketing type of a business, you have no huge operating costs. Your main costs will be advertising, hosting fees and merchant accounts, among others.

7. High Profit margins. Low running costs means you can quickly break even and start making profits. Most importantly, as you build your business, your profits will be just so huge. Your costs for any single sale will be very low.

8. You can AUTOMATE your business! This is one of the very attractive aspects of running an internet marketing business. You have heard it before – you can make money while you are asleep or on holiday. You can not do this with other types of businesses. In internet marketing, you can use various tools to automate your business – auto responder email system, payments and credit card processing systems. You just need to set these things up and you are ready to go. Nothing beats having financial security on autopilot. Your website will do the work for your 24 hours every day of the year. This leaves you more time to do other things like marketing or expanding your internet marketing business.

9. Unlimited Market Potential. Your internet marketing business can be as far reaching as you want it to be. Other business will tend to be ‘local’, but with internet marketing, your market could be world wide. This increases the potential market size you can capture. Access to and use of the internet will continue to grow in the future, so your market will also potentially grow.

10. You do not need your own product. There are various internet marketing business models. You can start making money online without a product, for example, with affiliate marketing. You can market other people’s products and earn huge commissions.

11. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Internet marketing is one type of a business where you can simple model yourself on a proven business that works, hence shortening your learning curve. With other types of businesses, you will have to learn as you go, doing ‘trial and error’, which is costly and frustrating. You do not have to waste time and time figuring it out. There are established experts who have made it in the internet marketing business – just get the blue prints and duplicate it!

12. Free Resources. With other businesses – whatever resource you need, you have to pay for it. In internet marketing, you can get ezines or forums with invaluable tips. If you have pay for something, it’s not normally hugely expensive.

13. You are part of a community of amazing people. Internet marketers tend to be very supportive and helpful lot. You can join some good forums where you get amazing support.

14. Tax breaks. When you run an internet marketing business, you can write off many costs. You just need to consult with your accountant and establish the tax breaks you can get. Key costs for which you can get tax breaks are office supplies, advertising, telephone and fax lines, training etc.

15. Help you be the best you can be! This the ultimate benefit. You get pride from running your own business. You get to achieve your maximum potential. You can financially secure, and can retire early.

With all these benefits available for you if you start an internet marketing business, what are you waiting for? Get started!

Jeff Casmer is an award winning entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and internet marketing consultant with career sales over $25,000,000. His “Top Ranked” Earn Money at Home Directory gives you all the information you need to start, maintain, and prosper with your very own Internet Home Based Business in the 21st century.

Advice for creating a resume that accurately portrays your skills, experience, interests and personality.

The job market is a tough one right now, and it clearly favors employers over job seekers. There are simply more job seekers than available jobs. Competing in this market means that you need a solid resume, and one that recognizes a current reality for technical jobs. Employers are not just filling positions. They are looking to hire “the whole person” – someone who fits organizationally and culturally, and who can fill multiple job roles. The bottom line: You’ll be more competitive in this job market if you have a resume that shows “the whole person.”

The Resume Challenge

Almost without exception, no one likes to work on their resume. It ranks somewhere close to filing taxes or having cavities filled on the list of unpleasant things in life. It is one of those undesirable activities that simply must be done and done right. Many hire tax professionals to complete their returns, and nobody fills their own cavities. But all too often we struggle alone to produce resumes. My recommendation: Get some help! Seek help from your friends and colleagues, and perhaps from a resume professional. But even when you use the services of a professional resume writer, you can’t abdicate responsibility to make your resume personal and human – to let the “whole person” shine through. Creating a resume that accurately portrays your skills, experience, interests, and personality can only be done with your participation and the participation of those who know you well. Participation means reflection on who you are and what you want to do – a task that can’t be hired, contracted, or delegated.

Professional resume writers, often with good intentions, can create resumes that make interviews difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes even defensive. Lacking the participation that is needed to make a resume personal, the hired writer will resort to superlatives and overstatements. Imagine being interviewed based upon a resume that that makes statements about you that you don’t even believe to be true. How do you respond to interview questions that arise from these statements? It is far better to be confident in the language that is used to describe you, and readily able to respond to any questions about your resume.

This statement was written by a professional resume writer who was overzealous in his desire to help a client obtain employment: “Exploited the power of system tools including scandisk and defrag to counteract performance issues in machines.” How would you answer interview questions about such a statement? Would you be comfortable to glorify such a simple task? Does it really offer a clear picture of the prospective employee, or does it cloud that picture?

Clear and Concise

I’m not particularly good at taking care of my glasses. I’m careless with where I leave them so they often develop scratches quickly. Gradually I find myself squinting more and more as I try to make out details. When the squinting becomes too severe, I become aware of the problem and replace the glasses. With each new pair of glasses I’m initially surprised by how clean and crisp everything looks. The comparison between before and after is dramatic. If your resume isn’t clean and crisp – if it doesn’t accurately portray the real you – then you have the “scratchy glasses” version with prospective employers “squinting” at your resume.

In this article I’ll illustrate resume clarity and showing the “whole person” by telling you Stephen’s story. Stephen is both a talented IT professional and a friend. His story does a good job of illustrating the importance of sincerity and clarity in resume writing. Stephen’s resume is included here for illustration and reference. The resume is not full of superlatives. It uses clear and concise language and describes Stephen’s accomplishments and abilities without embellishment.

It is a powerful resume that tells Stephen’s story quite well. But we didn’t get to this resume quickly or easily. There were bumps and bruises, starts and stops, and detours along the way. I’ll also tell you a bit of my story, as I am a resume writer who learned and grew from the experience of working with Stephen. I’ll tell this story in the form of issues, describing each issue encountered and the ways that the issues were resolved.

Issue #1-Personalization

Managers want to hire people, not marketing brochures. Your resume should give them a good sense of who are and how you might fit into their team. It’s a recipe for disaster when your resume tells one story and your interview tells another. You do a disservice to yourself when you let others describe you without comment or intervention. You know yourself better than anyone else, so it’s your decision how you are portrayed in your resume.

The first sentence in Stephen’s summary of qualifications statement answers one of my common questions when gathering information for a resume: “What is it that makes you most proud?” Stephen loves to stretch software functionality almost to its breaking point-it’s a game to see who will win. Even though he’s proficient with numerous BI and data warehousing tools, Excel remains his favorite. It was during our discussions about Excel that I captured this sentence: “Innovative technology professional who takes pride in building complex solutions with basic technology, getting the most from a company’s technology investment.”

I thought this was a powerful statement that couldn’t be a more perfect fit, so I submitted it as part of my resume certification program. The rewrite I received back was a bit of a surprise. The “resume expert” restated the sentence as “Innovative technology professional, expert in building complex solutions and extracting optimum results from a company’s technology investment.” In trying to improve what I had written, the reviewer changed the meaning and reduced the value of the statement. The more general statement sounds good, but it loses the concept of making much from basic technology. More importantly, it is a less clear statement that takes a more careful read to find the meaning. Most important of all – it loses the sense of Stephen as a person who takes pride in his technical abilities.

Stephen also has a love of learning and finds it rewarding to help others learn. He is naturally patient, and is clear and descriptive in his explanations. This important aspect of Stephen closes his summary of qualifications with the statement” “Applies natural talent to translate a love of learning into a love of teaching, and helping others to learn.” To reinforce this message we interwove elements of teaching into his resume with a section titled Business Intelligence (BI) Technical Training and Learning Laboratory Management

Issue #2 -Technology

Stephen is a gentle soul who is modest about his achievements. When I first read his resume I told him that something was missing. He asked “what? And I replied “technology.” This simple exchange highlights the fact that we often find it difficult to accurately self-describe. I know that Stephen has exceptional technical expertise, having worked with him in the past. But he had not thought to include most of it on his resume. His reasoning: he only included technology where he had an extreme level of experience and had not considered others. His measure of acceptance was so high that most technology was excluded.

I assigned Stephen the task to list every technology he had used during the past eight years. It is difficult to remember specifics over an extended period of time, so it made sense to start with an all inclusive approach then refine the list based on how and how extensively he used each technology. Together we found the right list of technologies to accurately represent Stephen on his resume.

How you position and organize technologies on your resume depends on how you view yourself. For those who feel tightly coupled with technology, placing it on the first page makes sense. In Stephen’s case, he is not so much interested in specific technologies as in pushing the limits of what the technology can do. He wants to see tangible results. We organized his technologies into five categories and placed them near the end of the resume. We focused the first page on the results instead of technology.

Issue #3-Projects

Determining which projects to include and how to describe Stephen’s roles in each of them was particularly challenging. He has worked on many projects over a span of eight years, so discussion alone was not enough to decide which projects to feature. I asked Stephen to create a list that included every project he had worked on, no matter how small. From that list we selected projects based on how well they matched Stephen’s interests and skills – how well the demonstrated “the whole person.” Then we organized them into seven categories.

Issue #4-Value

With an organized project list we were ready to tackle the question: “What’s the connection to business value?” Not everyone has statistics, such as ‘delivered 20% cost reduction’ or ‘increased new product sales by 35%’. For IT professionals, value statements are especially difficult because they often think in terms of providing technical solutions, not business value. Extending from technology projects to business value means thinking about what will work better, who will be happier, and what new capabilities will be available when the project is completed.

The following statements in Stephen’s resume effectively describe the qualitative value that he created without resorting to exaggerations, superlatives, or fictionalized quantifications:

Implemented systems to satisfy a variety of business-to-consumer requirements including web-initiated database transactions, contact management, and communications tracking. Software development – Reduced the time, cost and complexity of maintaining the ETL process by developing a rules engine to remove hard-coded rules from an existing difficult to maintain ETL process. Stephen’s project and technology lists now serve multiple purposes. The refined lists are included in his resume and the original lists serve as a quick review and reference prior to interviews. It’s best to refresh your memory before interviewing so that the facts are clear in your mind and ready when needed.

Stephen’s resume tells a story. It works as a well placed introduction that describes him in his entirety – his character, interests, and skills. What story does your resume convey? What does it say about your past, present, and future? A good resume does not come easily. It must be crafted over time and from all of the right perspectives. Put together all of the right pieces, including a pinch of this and a dash of that, to show the individual and make the resume interesting to read. Consider who you really are and how best to personalize your resume and properly position technology, projects, and value. Capture the sense of yourself that conjures up an image of you as a whole person.

About IT Resume Service

Jennifer Hay combines career coaching and resume writing skills with a broad knowledge of information technology to provide specialized and targeted career guidance services to IT professionals. Jennifer’s varied background of IT positions, technical training, career counseling, and educational advising make a solid foundation for IT career counseling.

Her interest in the human side of career development makes each career plan personal and individualized. Her unique and IT-specific assessment methods help people to make the best career decisions. A disciplined approach to planning and action helps to turn decisions and plans into real career successes.

Jennifer Hay
IT Resume Service
Phone: (425) 245-5102
http://www.itresumeservice.com

Submit Your Resume For a Complimentary Review & Consultation CLICK HERE

PHP web programming services are now much in demand as PHP offers a wide range of advantages like low development cost and high performance. PHP is a script based server side scripting language whose main focus is development for the web. It provides design structure to promote rapid application development and can solve scenarios quicker than some other languages.

Custom PHP programming is a time and money saving strategy. The code written in PHP is simple and easy to understand. It can be embedded directly into HTML coding. It is flexible in database connectivity and can be used in all major operating systems and supports most web servers. It can be used for command line scripting and is very helpful in developing content management systems.

PHP based websites offer more room to grow as PHP adds more functionality to your website and allows your site visitors to interact with you through scripts. It’s easy to add content and additional pages to a PHP base website without doing much editing. The language provides a more effective way to make changes to your website without working on every page involved.

If you have a limited budget, PHP web application development might be a wise choice for your project and its success.

Our PHP development efforts are put towards creating and deploying highly competitive and reliable web solutions that will succeed in the market.

Offshore Website development php web site design – PHP web development outsourcing – Offshore Web development company – Acceptoc.com

Offshore Software and PHP development

“In Beverly Hills… they don’t throw their garbage away. They make it into television shows.”

- Woody Allen

It was not as hard as I thought it would be. My wife and I had purchased a new townhouse; similar to what you would find in Brooklyn Heights, but this is Toronto. We had made the choice not to have television in our new place, having spent the better part of every evening in our basement apartment staring blankly at it. Cold turkey was how we decided to go, no weaning off the boob tube.

It has now been well over 18 months without a telly. Why is it when this comes up in conversation the recipient inevitably says, “Oh… well I don’t watch that much television, just…” as if by underestimating their television viewing habit will alter the fact they watch television. Frank Lloyd Wright defined television as “chewing gum for the eyes” and we all love a good chew now and then.

Here is a stat that scares the hell out of me. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2003, the average American spent 1,745 hours watching television! This works out to 145 hours a month, which if my math is correct is more than six full days sitting in front of the TV. Our bodies are not engineered for just lengthy inactivity. If you are going to spend 6 days of every month watching television at least stand to burn more calories.

Who says there’s never enough time? The extra time you always craved of having is as easy to obtain as turning off your TV. That simple act alone will give you ample time to do those things you have kept saying you never have time to do. Would I be writing this article if there was television in my home?

Imagine what you can do with 6 more days per month… 5 hours per day. Give yourself an additional 5 hours per day means you can:

· Get a part-time job (earn extra money).

· Give more of yourself to your career (further your career).

· Take a course, class; earn a degree, certification (further your education improve a skill, learn something new).

· Immerse yourself in a hobby.

· Read

· Exercise (take better care of your physical self)

· Meditate (take better care of your mental self)

· Cook great meals for your family and friend and enjoy their company (socialize; keep up with friends and acquaintances).

· Get a good night’s sleep (you should not watch television before going to sleep).

Who says there’s never enough time? The extra time you always craved of having is as easy to obtain as turning off your TV. That simple act alone will give you ample time to do those things you have kept saying you never have time to do. Would I be writing this article if there was television in my home?

So what have my wide and I been missing without television. The radio, Saturday newspaper, Internet provides us with our news and entertainment so staying current has not been a problem. On those occasions we need visual entertainment there’s always the movies, theatre, concerts and simply putting a DVD in the laptop on those rare occasions. Other than missing a few cooking shows today I do not miss television and its after effects. What you watch marinates in your mind

Television told me I had problems… dandruff, bad breath, gingivitis, lack of sex appeal. Hate your body, hate your clothes, hate your friends, hate you car so you can love the body, clothes, friends, car you see on television Thank God the answers to my problems could also be found on television, usually moments after being told of my new ailment. Homer Simpson, that cartoon sage of American mainstream wisdom observed, “The answers to life’s problems aren’t at the bottom of a bottle. They’re on TV.”

Television creates and then shares our collective delusions and anxieties. What better way to spread propaganda than with words and animated image? Nothing beats the telly for creating and supporting a conspiracy theory. We all love a good conspiracy theory; especially when documented with unaltered film footage. Alien autopsy, the grassy knoll, Elvis spotted pumping gas outside a 7-Eleven in a New Orleans suburb… it all must be true, we saw it on television. You know you are watching too much television if you are using fictional characters, animated ones at that, to support your argument.

Not long ago I came to realize television’s hypnotic effects were causing my stress and bruising my self-image. I was comparing myself to a superficial world created to destroy, or at the very least question, my self-esteem. Now that I am spending all my time in the real world I see I am no different that everyone around me, what a relief! Not have a rail thin body, wearing up to the moment fashion, surrounded by flawless supporting characters, was beginning to deflate the little ego I had left. It turns out television is designed and written to manipulate our emotions and it does a damn good job at it.

To get more information on how television massages your psyche check out www.turnoffyourtv.com and www.tvturnoff.org. Marshall McLuhan spent the better part of his career trying to explain television’s positive social influences; he never did make a convincing argument. The negative effects of television from causing obesity, restless sleep patterns, stress and depression are well documented.

Take the first step to gaining 5 hours a day; remove your television from you home. You will go through withdrawal symptoms like I did, but believe me I know from firsthand experience it will only last a few weeks and by not watching television you will have extra time to get over your TV addiction. Today my mind breaths easier.

I am an aspiring writer who without discrimination writes on what moves me at the moment.

To me, education is not just the matter of financial livelihood and social status, but why education is needed? Whether the provided education is authentic, what the lacks or loopholes of education are and to the final stage: would education make the absorbers immortal? These are some of the questions and rhetoric that make me view education very differently from those of my peers and even my parents and lecturers.

Law and Politics are usually confused with one another and cannot be meticulously separated from each other; as we usually hear the Faculty of Law and Politics, Center for Political and Legal Tuition, Professor of Law and Politics, etc. These are the facts that initiate me an idea to bring the core difference between Law and Politics and put it on a public display. The core difference would help the student to deeper understand the subject matters.

Do you have such the wonder? If no, start to make yourself curious about the core difference between Law and Politics to initiate your mental vocation and if yes, this is an article to unveil you a unique difference between Law and Politics to make you deeply understand.

As a student of Law, newspaper columnist, expert author, media liaison officer, legal and political assistant, I have found one complete differences between Law and Politics. This difference is “the interpretation.”

Most students of Law and Politics do not know that the most important theme of their education is “the interpretation.” Why I dare to say this? Up to the present, we have billions of sources ranking from books and international media publication to the abstract sources, but these so-called information will not make us a true political analyst or lawyer.

What we are seeing on these sources is just “plain information”, so what are these information are. If information is just all about information, University is not needed, because most of these sources are available everywhere and even free. The things that we have not found on these sources are “the interpretation” or the path to interpretational secretes. Let’s now jump up to the very core of our article.

Legal interpretation must be “within”: in interpreting the law, the lawyer of any party or the conflicting parties themselves cannot interpret the law out of the law being enforced in the country where the trial is being heard. This may seem very vague and let us bring an example to clarify. If you commit or are accused of committing a crime in the country in which you are residing in, you or your lawyer are not entitled to interpret the law out of the laws being enforced in your residing country. To a stricter extent, the laws being used for interpretation must circumnavigate the crime that you did or are accused of committing. This case is different from “political interpretation.”

Law and Politics may be equally broad, but interpretation in politics is much broader than in legal one. Have you ever noticed that a political analyst for a university in America would use approach in political interpretation by drawing examples from any country, any sources and any celebrities in the world. Political interpretation (analysis) is not as “within” as in law.

Politics is much more flexible and so much softer than law. Other merits why politics allow much broader interpretation, because we even see a huge similarities between socialist and capitalist states (similar political application), but the laws in these two separate kinds of state are totally different. I know the last one sentence is too vague for you, but let’s start the legal and political interpretation.

Lay Vicheka is a translator for the most celebrated translation agency in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Pyramid Translation Co.Ltd.. He is now hoding other two professions: freelance writer for Search Newspaper; focusing on social issues and students’ issues and Media Liaison Officer for Asia’s first free on-line IELTS consultation website. Lay Vicheka is the expert author for ezine and prolific article contributor to other websites around the world such as articlecity, 365articles, spiderden, talesofasia, etc (Just google him). He is also a volunteer Cambodian-newspapers columnist (Rasmey Kampuchea and Kampuchea Thmey). Lay Vicheka has great experience in law and politics, as he used to be legal and English-language assistant to a Cambodian member of parliament, migration experience (home-based business) and in writing. He is also member of a New York-based research company. Posting address: 221H Street 93, Tuol Sangke quarter, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel: 855 11 268 445, vichekalay@yahoo.com