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- Righting Your Resume' [Part One]
-
- by Jim Taylor
-
- One of the major problems with being omnipresent, omniscient,
- omnipotent (not to mention all those other omni words like
- omnivore, Omni magazine, Dodge Omni) and one heck of a swell guy
- is that people feel it is their right to impose their petty
- problems upon you. Hey, I'm not complaining; after all, when
- you're as obviously gifted as I am, you should do what you can to
- help. And I do.
-
- It was Wednesday, 4:37 pm. I was working the afternoon shift at
- headquarters. My name is Friday, I carry a seltzer bottle, I'm a
- humorist.
-
- Oops, wrong script. Where was I? Oh yeah, helping the people of
- the world.
-
- An acquaintance of mine stopped in the other day with a pressing
- need that only I could fill. He was in the process of changing
- careers and needed a new resume' to win him the accolades and
- extremely outrageous salary he felt he was due. Naturally, I
- whipped up a stunning one. He is now the Crown Prince of Zimdavi.
- Not bad, considering he can barely handle a knife and fork.
- During this process I suddenly realized that you folks out there
- in readerland might want some sage advice on how you can rewrite
- your resume' to get ahead in these troubled times.
-
- A good place to start is with the information you're sure of,
- like your name and address. (If you are not absolutely sure of
- your name and address, you probably need help far beyond the
- scope of this article? You might want to consider contacting the
- FBI and Ed McMahon for further assistance.) On to the rest of it.
-
- *OBJECTIVE:*
-
- This is the area where you list the job you want to have and
- expect to get only if every employer in the world takes leave of
- their senses. No one ever gets the job listed in their objective
- so you might as well shoot for the whole enchilada. For example:
-
- "I seek employment as absolute ruler of the Universe, both known
- and unknown, where I can use my incredible powers and supreme
- wisdom to force all to bend to the force of my will."
-
- Since employers rarely take these things seriously, you will give
- them a good laugh and guarantee your chances for that mail room
- clerk job you're really qualified for.
-
- What you should include next is open to discussion. There are
- many schools of thought as to the approach you should take in
- dealing with this. Some believe that future employers are
- impressed by fancy educational credentials therefore they should
- go first. Others subscribe to the theory that education doesn't
- mean diddly and that all bosses-to-be care about is what you've
- done for work in the past. Still others think that this education
- and employment stuff can only work to your detriment and should
- be left off your resume' completely. Preferably replaced with
- graphic pictures of your potential boss in a compromising
- position with an elk (or a Shriner, if you or they are so
- inclined.) This will maximize your personal effect at a real
- power interview.
-
- Here's a simple test to determine a possible road for you to
- follow:
-
- 1. Have you ever held a job?
-
- 2. Do you know someone who has had a job?
-
- 3. Have you ever seen someone on TV with a job?
-
- 4. Have you ever been to school?
-
- 5. Have you ever been past a school?
-
- 6. Have you ever been arrested for hanging around a school on a
- hot spring day wearing a trench coat? [Author's note: it might be
- prudent to minimalize references to this. It is only a plus if
- your future employer also wears trench coats on hot spring days.
- This is why it pays to do your homework.]
-
- If you answered yes to any of the above questions (with the
- exception of the trench coat question, of course) you now know
- where to start.
-
- *END OF PART 1*
-
- JIM TAYLOR is a well known and well thought of humorist. Recently
- he was appointed CEO of the Wahzoo Institute for Undefined
- Frivolity. He will write part two of this article if and when he
- is ever in the mood.
-
- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
-
- Copyright 1991 Jim Taylor.
- All rights reserved.
-
- Attention Editors & Publishers:
-
- If you'd like to purchase reprint rights to this article please
- write:
-
- Jim Taylor
- Suite 110
- 2594-96 Berlin Turnpike
- Newington, Connecticut 06111
-
- Very reasonable rates and courteous service. Make me an offer.
-
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