In's and Out's of Vision Boards

It's still hard to believe that tomorrow is New Year's Eve and the next day it will be 2015. As you get older time just flys by. Every year we go into the new year with resolutions. Last few years I haven't thought about resolutions I just said that I wanted to continue to grow in all aspects of life. Last year I said the same thing but I also decided to do a vision board. It wasn't your typical vision board it was an electronic vision board because I didn't have enough magazines in the house to use and it was kind of a last minute thing to do.

So the picture to the right is my electronic vision board. I am very proud of myself. I was able to reach many of the goals that I had set for myself.

What is a Vision Board? 

Let me back up and explain what exactly is a vision board.  A vision board is collage of pictures, photo's or words that are placed together on a board and placed somewhere you can look at it on a regular basis. The whole point of through this process is to have the intention of changing or wanting something in life. The overall outcome is to gain focus (vision board) and keep the task going until you have met your goal (manifestation). The whole point of it isn't something mythical or mentally challenging.

How to Create a Vision Board? 

You will need: 

• Magazines
• Glue
• Tape 
• Scissors 
• Markers/Pens 
• Copy Paper 
• Extra: printed pictures from pinterest of things you may want in 2015

Once you have all the pictures or words that you want to go on your vision board you can find a place in your home that you can look at it everyday so it will stay fresh in your mind. Last year, I hung mine in the closet because I'm always in there and when I'm getting dressed for work I just look at it. Also if you are like me and have a million things going on, I have a copy of it on my phone that I sometimes look at when things start to get frustrating. I must admit it is rewarding to see how many things from last year I have achieved.

 This is my vision board for 2015. The last part of the year I have really been trying to take control of my life and start doing what makes me happy, so in 2015 that's exactly what I will be doing. It's my time to shine! That's another post. Again I decided to do an electronic vision board because I don't have that many magazines that I want to cut up.



I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store me. 

#MCM: 6 Ways to Write a WoW-ing Resume

With a solid resume in hand you'll greatly increase your odds of earning a closer look and getting that interview.


1.    Format Your Resume Wisely "Do the Hiring Managers" Work for Them

No matter how well written, your resume won't get a thorough reading the first time through. Generally a resume gets scanned for 25 seconds. Scanning is more difficult if it is hard to read, poorly organized or exceeds two pages.

• Use a logical format and wide margins, clean type and clear headings
• Selectively apply bold and italic typeface that help guide the reader's eye
• Use bullets to call attention to important points (i.e. accomplishments)

2.   Identify Accomplishments not Just Job Descriptions

Hiring managers, especially in technical fields like engineering, seek candidates that can help them solve a problem or satisfy a need within their company. Consequently, you can't be a solution to their problems without stating how you solved similar problems in other companies and situations.

• Focus on what you did in the job, NOT what your job was there's a difference
• Include a one or two top line job description first, then list your accomplishments
• For each point ask yourself, What was the benefit of having done what I did?
• Accomplishments should be unique to you, not just a list of what someone else did
• Avoid using the generic descriptions of the jobs you originally applied for or held

3.   Quantify Your Accomplishments

The most common mistake on resume is making too many general claims and using too much industry jargon that does not market the candidate. A resume is a marketing document designed to sell your skills and strengths rather than just portray a bio of the candidate.

• Include and highlight specific achievements that present a comprehensive picture of your marketability
• Quantify your achievements to ensure greater confidence in the hiring manager and thereby generate interest percentages, dollars, number of employees, etc.
• Work backwards to quantify your accomplishments by asking, If I had not done X, what could have happened?

4.   Cater Your Resume for the Industry

Unlike advertising and design professionals who have greater creative license in designing their resume for those fields, the mechanical engineering industry won't be impressed and may be turned off by distinctive resume design.

• Error on the side of being conservative stylistically
• Your accomplishments, error-free writing, grammatically-correct, clean, crisp type and paper will make the impression for you

5.   Replace your Objective" with a "Career Summary"

A Career Summary is designed to give a brief overview of who you are and what you do. Most Objectives sound similar: Seeking a challenging, interesting position in X where I can use my skills of X, Y, and Z to contribute to the bottom line. Not telling at all.

• Grab a hiring manager's attention right from the beginning, remembering you
  have only 25 few seconds to make a good impression
• Spend time developing a summary that immediately gets their attention, and accurately and powerfully describes you as a solution to their problems

6.   Network. Network. Network.

For unemployed candidates, handing out resumes should be a full-time job. The majority of mid- to senior-level positions are filled through networking, so contact absolutely everyone you know in addition to recruiters who are in a position to hire you or share insights. Networking can include

• Personal business contacts, people you've worked for or who worked for you
• Vendors and sales representatives you've dealt with in the past five years
• People listed in the alumni directory of your alma mater