Free Resume Builders Aren't Always Free

www.realsimple.com

Have you ever wanted to create the perfect, yet free, resume? However, when you finally get done putting together the resume, you find that there is a catch? I wanted to help you find what sites offer items that are truly “free” and those that aren’t.

There were 4 sites that I worked diligently to perfect my resume: GotResumeBuilder.com, MyPerfectResume.com, Career Services Resume Builder, and SIGI3. These sites allowed me to create a resume for free, but what frustrated me was when I went to download it, there was a fee.  As you may imagine, after spending 20-3?"0 minutes on a resume to only find it isn’t truly free, was very frustrating. 

I included positives and negatives about each one to help you better select the resume builder best for you.

1. Got Resume Builder

On the Got Resume Builder website. There weren’t a lot of templates, but it did give you a breakdown of how to write a resume and offered samples for you to review. While the design was lacking, being able to add information was easy. I was disappointed to find that there was a cost of $5.99 for wanting to download it in Microsoft Word format. You could print it in PDF, but there was no way to edit it after you downloaded it that way.

Pros: Very basic look and nature; good examples

Cons: Costs for basic download; variations of downloads aren’t editable

2. My Perfect Resume

On the My Perfect Resume website, there were a lot of things that would intrigue a student. It had thousands of samples and templates. There were suggested items to put into specific categories. Not to mention the fact that it was offered as free. The trick is that building the resume is free, but downloading it or saving it requires a subscription: $2.95 for 14-day access or $7.95 a month. It can be very frustrating when you’ve put a lot of time in a resume to have to pay for something you essentially thought was free.

Pros: Lots of editing and template choices; several recommendations for different scenarios; has multiple ways of saving the format of the resume.

Cons: Cost $2.95-7.95

3. CSO Resume Creator.

On your Career Services account through CSO there is an opportunity to build a resume. On the right hand column of the main screen, below “I want to” there is a “Create resume using Resume Builder.”  This resume builder was very easy to use. I clicked on resume templates, picked the one I wanted, and got to start entering my information right away. The builder was 100% free and I could either save or preview my resume at any time. 

Pros: easy to use, truly free, quick and efficient

Cons: plain templates, doesn’t have categories for special circumstances

4. SIGI3

Through your my.oit.edu, on the student resources tab on the left column “SIGI3” is available to all Oregon Tech students. This site can pack a punch. It has everything from personality surveys, skills surveys, as well as, several break down assessment type tools. This information was great for wanting to think about what I had to offer and what jobs worked best with what I had to offer. However, on the “Getting There,” “Resume Basics” link really didn’t provide exactly what I hoped for. If I clicked on the links provided I was forwarded to MyPerfectREsume.com and Resume Tutor, which both cost money. This site did have a lot of free references on what a resume is and basic knowledge on what to put in your resume.

compositecode.com

Pros: A lot of information; breaks down items for resume; gives an alternative way of approaching your resume

Cons: Hard to find what you are looking for; external resume builder sites cost money

Ultimately, there are both kinds of sites out there. Make sure you read reviews before utilizing them. You don’t want to be stuck where I was after 20-30 minutes of effort to find it costs in the end. Great resumes don’t have to cost money at all.

If you ever need help working on your resume or cover letters, please contact Oregon Tech’s Career Services at 541-885-1020 or career@oit.edu.

*All information was based on personal experience. The sites that I utilized were: 

GotResumeBuilder.com

MyPerfectResume.com

Career Services Resume Builder (https://www.myinterfase.com/oit/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2foit%2fstudent)

SIGI3 (http://www.sigi3.org/resume.asp?EQ=425484040&RX=MainAssess)

**Please see reference location for below images within the text above.

New Year's Resolution

It’s not too late to plan your New Year’s resolution.  As you probably have considered what your New Year’s resolution will be, you probably haven’t thought about what career related resolution you could make. The best part about making a career related resolution is that you are more likely to stick with it, as it will be a constant reminder as you enter your job every day.

A few ideas for career resolutions are:

Change your Attitude – Whether it’s towards your colleagues, your boss, or the customers, it is always important to evaluate your attitude and how it comes off to others. You may even want to consider making your resolution more specific: once a month on a “bad day,” focus on being nice to one person you’d normally get frustrated/annoyed with. This way you’re making a conscious effort and after enough times of repetition it will mentally be the way that you address others, even on an off day. 

Focus on Improvement – Whether it’s being more punctual to work, fulfilling tasks more quickly, utilizing more outside resources or even delegating work [1] more efficiently it is important to show improvement. Making an attempt to improve will make you feel better about your day and your day's work, and who knows, you might even impress your boss with your improvement (possibly leading to a raise or bonus).  

Work Towards a Goal [1] - Many places of employment have “employee of the week/month” or other honorable awards. Make this the year you either receive one or get more this year (in a single year) than you ever have gotten before. This way you have an incentive to perform better and work harder at work. It can completely change your focus at work if you feel like you have a goal to obtain.

Make a New Friend- As this may sound a little odd, as making friends should be easy and natural, this resolution can alter your way around the office. If you make friends with someone else in the office it can be beneficial to you later. For example, if you make friends with an intern or an office assistant, when you get an overload on a project, you won’t feel as bad asking a friend to rush an order at the copy machine than you would asking a complete stranger. 

Expand Your Social Media- In a social media driven world it can be hard to keep up if you not in the loop. Many people who utilize social media have created more business contacts, found new job postings, and even learned about alternative occupation options. As a resolution, challenge yourself to join one new social media group and utilize it “x” amount of times in a month. I would recommend any business related social media. Many companies utilize LinkedIn, but there are several out there. You could consider Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. but be conscious that these aren’t business related spaces and anything you put on the web can be analyzed by a potential boss or co-worker.

There are several other blogs and articles of business related resolutions. If an idea from above doesn’t work for you, then you might want to consider looking at one of the following articles:

http://managerlink.monster.com/training-leadership/articles/28-10-career-resolutions-for-the-new-year

http://www.boston.com/jobs/galleries/new_year_career_resolutions/

[1] http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/12/31/7-new-years-resolutions-for-a-stronger-career-in-2014/

Just remember that any career related resolution you choose will be beneficial to you in the long run. Make 2014 your year for improvement. If you are an Oregon Tech student or alumni please contact the Career Services department with all your career related questions and needs.
career@oit.edu or 541-885-1020

References:

 [1] Green, Alison. "7 New Year's Resolutions For a Stronger Career in 2014." AOL Jobs. U.S.News, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. .

Sometimes You Just Need a Vacation!

What if you were told you had to go on a vacation? What if it was required of you whether you were employed or a student?

Well as much as we wish it all should be it isn’t. However, through many statistical reports, those who don’t take vacations tend have severe health problems later on. Many people don’t understand that their mind and body need vacations as a break to reduce stress, ward off burnouts and increase job performance.

“… Vacations -- even if you never leave home -- are all but essential, the research tells us. Not just for unwinding and de-stressing, but because they often serve as a time to regroup and generate new ideas, making us even more productive when we return. And Americans already take far less vacation time than people in nations around the world,” stated Rod Kurtz of the Huffington Post.

From asking a few students around campus why they think people don’t take more vacations is because they are so expensive. Well what if I told you that according to CNN Money, approximately $67 billion in vacation days goes unused. That is basically saying each person throws away money every year because they do not take up their allotted vacation time. CNN continued to stated that, “…an average employed American worker got 18 vacation days last year, but only used 14 of those desirable days off.”

As many articles contributed, it can cost a lot to go on vacation which leaves you wondering is it worth it? Well through some research, there have been a few vacations that may leave you surprised on how affordable they can really be.

Being in Klamath Falls there are a few great getaways fairly close and some that aren’t but can be affordable if you’re willing to reduce some expenses.

Viva Las Vegas!

If you and 3 friends wanted to visit the grand city, you could get a 5 star hotel for as little as $95 a night. According to Expedia values do change, but during this time of year rates for Las Vegas are more affordable.

 

 Seattle, WA

If you and 7 friends wanted to stay in a nice vacation home for an entire week, for as little as $1,100, then Seattle is the spot for you. You can bring your own food to cover additional costs and if you wanted to plan your trip for the holidays you can see the Christmas Ship Festival. That’s $91 per person for your whole weeks stay.

 

There is always the option of visiting the coast for a few days. Several vacation homes offer a night rate or a weekly rate: meaning that you can get a bigger home for about the same price as a hotel. Isn’t that great? Getting to have 12 people and it cost $1,100 for a whole week sounds great, plus if you bring your own good to make at the house instead of going out every night for dinner sure does save a lot of money.

  Where Dreams Do Come True!

 You could go to Disneyland this Christmas break. If you take a group of 4, you can rent a home and pay for your tickets for less than $350 a person for 4 days. So you may be thinking this is quite a bit of money for a college student, but if you start saving now you would only need to save $7 a day. That’s less than 1 hour of work at a minimum wage job.

 

Muy Caliente!

And if you wanted to get even a little more crazy: $689 a person for a Christmas break adventure to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and stay at the all-inclusive Palmer Beach Resort and Spa. If you started saving now you would only need to save $13.78 a day – just under 2 hours of work at a minimum wage job.

The key is to have fun. Hopefully you will find yourself the perfect getaway. Good luck!

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/14/how-important-are-vacations_n_963002.html

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/25/pf/unused_vacation_days/

Color-ology = Increased Productivity

Can the Color of Your Study Area and Its Surroundings Help You Be More Productive?

Studies have been shown that there are cooler hues in the color spectrum that might help you improve your concentration, resulting in a higher test score or better overall performance. While the productivity color scheme is the main focus of this blog, I bet that you are asking yourself, is there truly a psychological aspect to color coordinating?

One example that utilizes color for psychological reasons is your everyday McDonalds. Utilizing red stimulates hunger and tends to make people make decisions quickly (Graff). That leaves you with something to seriously think about the next time you drive by McDonalds and make a hasty decision to buy french-fries with a milkshake or even that Big Mac Combo.

Don’t believe me? How many other Fast Food Restaurants do you know that utilize the color red?

 

Needless to say there is more than anyone can count.

Okay so there seems to be some truth to this “Color-ology,” but what colors will help you in everyday situations such as school and work.

Blue -According to MoreDays.com the color blue increases your ability to concentrate and it boosts your performance. They even mentioned how wearing blue for an interview could be beneficial.

Green – “Green has replaced the more clinical white, since it has been found to calm patients more. Green also counteracts headaches, disturbances of vision and loss of concentration among surgeons and their medical assistants - problems that come out in bright white rooms or attire (Mak).”

Maybe you can’t paint your study area or don’t want to go through the trouble of painting it, but you might want to consider adding decorative items with the color hues of blue and green.

Even Oregon Tech is moving toward the methods of color schematics. With the student Success Center and the Testing Center looking forward to some possible changes, we will see the blue hue utilized.

Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the color and concentration benefits of this upcoming change for Oregon Tech and you will get to answer your still lingering question of:  Will Color-ology really help me?

Graff, Walter. "Color Psychology." Color Psychology. Walter Graff, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

Novak, Martin. "Five Best Colors That Increase Productivity." Moredays. Moredays, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.
Mak, Martin. "How Colors Can Improve Your Mood, Concentration And Memory." Web log post. Ezine Articles. SparkNet, n.d. Web. .

Free Labor = Paid Labor: Why Job Volunteering is Important

CA Extreme
http://www.nashvillestriders.com/storage/images
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Are you eager to get your dream job? Most of us job seekers and/or students are. But what if your dream job doesn't have any openings or when they do have an opening someone already within the company gets hired?

You should simply ask yourself,

"How do I get my name off that list of unwanted applicants and in the door?"
Answer: job volunteering!

Yes, it is as simple as that. A lot of companies may not have regular position open at the moment, but they may have a volunteer program that can help you in multiple ways of getting that dream job.

So what is it about job volunteering that puts your foot in the door? 

Well, let me tell you. There are 5 key things that you will receive from job volunteering.

• 1.     Creating Network and Company Contacts

When you begin volunteering at a company you will meet several of the employees. This gives you the opportunity to create contacts that can later give you a reference, whether it is within the same company or a similar job situation. Another important part of creating contacts and establishing this network is this may open up several doors you never even knew were possible. Just remember if you know 5 contacts and those contacts each know 5 more contacts, etc. you have more than quadrupled your network.

• 2.   Show Your Skill Set to Your Future Employers

As you perform tasks while volunteering, your supervisor will be able to view your skills. This will also open the opportunity for them to analyze your ambition, work-ethic, motivation, personality, and consistency. This can put your name at the top of the list because where many applicants they will see in interview they will only get to hear about their skills, while the supervisor will know firsthand about yours.

•       3.   Establish More Hands-On Experience

Many things you learn in a classroom cannot compare to on-the-job experience. By volunteering you have the opportunity to really be active in the position you are interested in. This will be a great incentive for your supervisor to higher you. Not only will already know how to do something, but how this particular company likes things done. This is desirable by employers because it reduces the amount of time and money spent on job training for new employees.

•            4.   Create Additional Skills

As you volunteer you will find that you will receive tasks that might be outside the regular scope of duties for the position you are interested in. This is a great opportunity to advance your knowledge and set yourself beyond a competitor. If later you realize you want to work with another company or possibly a different position, this knowledge gives you the opportunity to be more flexible in what an employer needs and is looking for.

•      5.   Lasting Impression

The most important thing is creating that lasting impression. If you are a student and won’t be pursuing a position until you get the certification or education needed before applying, the job volunteering gives you the opportunity to be more than just a name on a resume.

While job volunteering can be a great opportunity for you, just remember it can hinder you as well. Making sure you put your best foot forward is what will make volunteering worth your time. If you don’t put in 100%, the employer may doubt your work ethic. Make the employer realize the hard work you can do while being a volunteer, so they know what to expect when they do hire you. 

A New Member of the Oregon Tech Career Staff!

Hello there!

I am the new Oregon Tech Career Services Web Assistant, which means, yours truly will be providing you with future blogs.

I am very excited to share the information and services that this department has to offer.

So you can get to know a little about who I am:

I am from a small town of Pendleton, Oregon and was raised in a suburb of there called Cayuse, Oregon (population I believe is now 16). I am currently a Junior and a Senior at Oregon Tech; I am in the process of dual majoring in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Allied Health Management, respectively. I have been active in multiple organizations and clubs since I began at Oregon Tech.

I was crowned Miss Southern Gem 2012, which gave me the opportunity to work as an advocate for my platform: "Prevention of Impaired Driving: Driving Sober, Saves Lives" through-out the southern 11 counties of Oregon, and also provided me with over $7,000 in scholarships (a BIG thank you to Oregon Tech's President Chris Maples, the Miss Klamath County Scholarship Program and all of their wonderful sponsors).

 For two years I was the President of the Oregon Tech Dance and Cheer team and a member for 3. I have recently become an active member in the local Rock Mountain Elk Foundation. I have participated in events with local organizations such as Soroptimist of Klamath Falls, Mule Deer Foundation, and many more.

I helped co-host and organize Mr. OIT 2013, with the now Miss Oregon, Allison Cook, while raising funds for one of my favorite organizations Children's Miracle Network Hospital. I am happy to say that I have helped raise nearly $2,500 in the past 3 years for their amazing cause.

Beyond my involvements, I enjoy spending time with friends, back-packing in the Eagle Caps of Oregon, riding horses, and cooking. My future ambition is to own my own clinic to perform sonograms to patients as they develop through each trimester of pregnancy.

Ultimately I think you will get to know me even more as I begin to blog. I hope you enjoy reading my writing on the blog, as much as I like writing it.

Please visit us on the Career Services other social media forums where you will see things from "Job of the Day," latest updates, career tips, and much more!

https://www.facebook.com/OITCareerServices
https://twitter.com/OITCareerCenter

Have a great year!

Sincerely,

Megan Cook

Faculty and Staff of Oregon Tech Shine at Convocation 9.17.2013

Award Winners
(From left back: LeAnn Maupin, Kevin Brown,
 David Thaemert, Erin Foley. Front: Jill Schultz)

Sept. 17, 2013, Klamath Falls, ORE. – Oregon Institute of Technology honored its own on September 17th during the annual convocation of faculty and staff prior to the start of the 2013-14 academic year. Employees were recognized for outstanding service to students and to the university.

Oregon Tech’s Student Affairs Division awarded the Most Valuable Partner Award to recognize exceptional collaboration with the Student Affairs staff. This year, the award was given to LeAnn Maupin, Professor and Department Chair of Medical Imaging Technology, for her assistance to the division. Maupin was recognized for her willingness to help others, patience, and guidance in how to effectively navigate through college.

The Oregon Tech Foundation presented the Faculty Achievement Award recognizing outstanding accomplishments of Oregon Tech faculty members whose service makes a difference in students’ lives and adds significantly to the vitality of the university. This year, the Foundation honored Jill Schultz, Professor of Dental Hygiene, and Dr. David Thaemert, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. Professor Schultz was praised for her ability to think outside the box about new approaches that would serve her department, the school, or both. Dr. Thaemert was recognized for his continuous improvement of his teaching style. He constantly revisits, revises, and redesigns his courses to make the information more accessible and understandable to students.

The Oregon Tech Foundation also awarded the Faculty Alumni Engagement Award to faculty members who have demonstrated enthusiasm, commitment, creativity, and cooperation in their efforts to engage alumni with their department, the alumni relations office, and the university as a whole. The Foundation recognized Dr. David Thaemert from Civil Engineering and Dr. Kevin Brown from the Communication department. Dr. Brown’s work with alumni of Oregon Tech is enthusiastic, creative, and dedicated as evidenced in the time, energy, and commitment he shows throughout the year to ensure the success of alumni relations.

Richard Ellis, an Instrument Technician for Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering Program at Oregon Tech Wilsonville, received the Oregon Public Employee Union Classified Staff Award. Ellis helps with class and student projects, provides maintenance of research lab equipment and instruments, participates in research projects, and is an energetic member of the Sustainability, Recycling, and Safety committees, just to mention a few.

Dr. Erin Foley, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, was presented the President’s Staff Award given to an individual whose achievements extend to the university as a whole, who puts the wellbeing of the university above personal needs, and who makes Oregon Tech a better place to work. Foley has worked at Oregon Tech since 1999. She has taken on a variety of positions in her time at Oregon Tech and during her tenure, Dr. Foley has worked diligently to serve Oregon Tech students and to support their efforts in and outside the classroom.  Her dedicated service has made a significant difference in the campus community and the vitality of student life on campus.  Dr. Foley’s unwavering involvement in student activities is well-known and appreciated.

About the Oregon Tech

Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is one of seven universities in the Oregon University System, and the only public institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through hands-on learning. Oregon Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls and an urban, industry-focused campus in Wilsonville. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.

*This posting was brought to you by Oregon Tech's News, http://www.oit.edu/news/09-17-2013/faculty_and_staff_of_oregon_tech_shine_at_convocation.aspx. September 17, 2013