So You Need to Prepare a Resume…now what? Just for the fun of it, I googled “resume writing tips”…I received 21,950,000 hits. Wow, how in the world do you decipher all of that information? Where do you begin? What is right? What is wrong? I perused though the pages and found numerous articles on Top 10 Resume Writing Tips, Top 5, even a Top 44. All of these promised to produce a killer resume. I am not so sure that there are 5 or 10 or even 44 tips that will produce the perfect resume for everyone.
I firmly believe that a resume has to be personal…it must tell the personal story of the writer addressing the needs of the potential employer. That’s it…its pretty simple. Well, it’s not quite all that easy. Here are a few suggestions that I believe could help you prepare a good resume:
• Be yourself…your resume needs to reflect who you are, not who you think the company wants to hire. This is a mistake that is often made by many. No one is the perfect candidate; although we may think we are…we all have flaws and imperfections. Be yourself and make sure that your resume reflects you.

• Be professional…there is a professional appearance to resumes that should be followed. Review resumes on line and use a professional template to format your resume. There are plenty of free ones available. Also, professional language should be used for in describing your achievements, experience and education.

• Be truthful…often times, there is a temptation to enhance or embellish previous experience. Be careful not to “enhance” achievements, experience or education. Resume “enhancements” will be revealed in an interview and may lose the opportunity for you.

• Be clear…think through what you are going to put on resume. Be clear…don’t beat around the bush, so to speak. Be direct and right to the point. For example, when listing accomplishments, use phrases such as:

o served to Team Leader,
o cut scrap by 48%,
o increased sales by11%,
o recognized as Employee of the Month,
o etc.

• Be concise…write in terms of bullets rather than long paragraphs. It is much easier to read and also, highlights your strengths.

• Be organized…don’t jump around. Organize both your education and work history in a chronological format…from latest to oldest. Be careful not to let the short term positions overshadow the long term positions. If there is a period of time that you help several temporary positions, group them together as “Temporary Positions” and briefly summarize the responsibilities.

• Be personable…let “yourself” show through your resume. You want the person who is going to review your resume to have a mental picture of you after he or she is finished reading it. It is his or her “take away” about you that is important. By building your resume properly, you can paint your personal picture. You want to show how each position and resulting experience built upon on another. Also, you want to point out your successes in position where you flourished.

You need to recognize the overall objective of the resume. That is, to demonstrate to the potential employer your experience and education in such a manner that it will get you an interview. Somehow, you need to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Recently, I was told by one employer, it was not uncommon for him to receive upwards of 80 resumes for a local position. Wow, keep in mind, that you need to construct your resume in such a way that it rises to the top of a stack of eighty.

2. Don’t over schedule. Boy, I could go on for a while about overachieving here, but I will not. When planning out your priorities, your day, your week; be realistic. Do not overextend yourself. You are not superman/superwoman and no one expects you to be one. If they do, then they are wrong and you need to tell them so. Be realistic on your expectations of yourself. Please do not get me wrong here, you still have responsibilities at home, work and with family that must be met. Build in some free or down time in your schedule. Take time to pray, take a walk, talk to your wife, your children, your friends, read a book…think…plan.

3. Don’t get caught up in someone else’s dream. I must be careful here not to hurt anyone’s feelings here. However, have you ever been in a meeting at work or church and there is someone who always has the new ideas? The best plan? Before you know it everyone has their priorities changed and everyone is working on someone else’s plan or dream, while their priorities are being left unattended. Be careful not to get caught up in someone else’s dream as it may mess up your priorities.

4. Learn to say no. Boy, this is a hard one for me. I am a people pleaser and it is really hard for me to tell people no. This is especially difficult in ministry. I recently had to tell a good friend of mine that I did not attend some ministry training because as a father and grandfather I had to get our family back to normal As a result, I had to pull back from some of my ministry commitments. I had to stick with my priorities. His priority for me was different than my priority. I needed to say no and say it without guilt.

5. Planning is important. There is an old management says… “plan your work, work your plan”. This is so true…not only our jobs or our work, but so true for our home and family life as well. It is true of our daily tasks as well as our projects. Concerning projects…think through projects before starting them…preplan…jot notes. There are times that I may think through a project for several weeks before I put anything down on a piece of paper.

6. Don’t get distracted. We are surrounded by distractions. Ok, I am being real honest here…guys, how many times have you been distracted from a conversation with your wife by a commercial on television? So true. We live in a world of short snippets designed to get our attention. Stay focused; avoid distractions, work at it until the task is done.

7. Sometimes, you just need to close your door. This applies to work as well as home. Ok, so we live in the South and this may be more of a “northern” way of doing things. However, a closed door does send a message that what I am doing is important to ma and I do not want to be disturbed. All well and good. It may be a time of study, without distraction, a time of preparation, a time of planning, or maybe just a time with God.

8. Handle each piece of paper once. This is an old piece of advice I received many years ago. Think about this…handle each piece of mail (snail or email), incoming message or phone message once. Many years ago, I would read each incoming message, then set it aside and do something with it later. I found out that following the advice of handling something once that I could move about 80% of the pieces of paper, messages, etc. off of my desk. The remaining 20% is much easier to fit into my schedule.

9. Set routines. Ok, by now you can see that I am a pretty predictable guy. Gail often talks about the time when we were young and our children were small that I would come home for lunch and have Ravioli for lunch every day. The same thing. Well, I like Ravioli. It tastes good and it worked for me. I saw no need for change. I set routines…at work; I answer emails and voice messages first thing in the morning. The rest of the morning is taken up with routine tasks of ministry. In the afternoon, I work on projects. It is a simple plan that works for me. I do the same for my home tasks. It may not be super exciting and new, but the job gets done on time.

10. Minimize Meetings. We live in a world of meetings. Sometimes in my past life, I even thought that I got paid by the meeting. Meeting are necessary to communicate a message, coordinate activities to priorities, etc. however, my hones opinion is that once they go beyond an hour, time begins to be wasted. Try to minimize your meeting time. Set an agenda. Be prepared. Plan the meeting ahead of time. Communicate clearly through the meeting. Maintain order throughout the meeting such that the group does not go off on a tangent. Keep the main thing the main thing. Understand, of, course, there may need to be time for input and discussion.

These are some of the things that I have learned over the past years. We are each unique on how we handle our time. One thing that I know for sure is that we cannot make up for lost time. We must make the most of our time today. We should be good “stewards” of our time. After all, who really owns our time? The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. Psalms 24:1 (NKJV)

Check it out…https://northsidebc.onthecity.org/login

You will need to click on the “set up account” at the bottom of screen…fill in your email address…then you will receive an invitation via email.

North Side is using The City to take advantage of technology in order to engage in ministry.

Last weekend, I was working on a little home improvement project and boy, did I ever get a lesson in patience. I had a small piece of porcelain to cut…about a 8″ radius of a semicircle.  So I make my usual early morning trip over to Lowes and get the proper blade for my Skil saw. This time I knew that it was going to be a tough job, so I spared no expense in picking out the correct blade. I bought one of those diamond blades and proceeded to cut out my shape. Well, 2 1/2 hours later I finally finished the cutout. Yes, I said 2 1/2 hours later!

What a lesson in patience. The blade was the right one for the job. But, it just took for what seemed like forever. I would stop now and then and “try” another tool…an abrasive wheel, a hack saw, a coping saw. Nothing would speed up the process…I had the right tool for the job. It was just going to take time.

Well, yes…I endured and completed the cutout…as I said 2 1/2 hours later. My shortcuts did not work. It just took time to cut through the porcelain.

Isn’t that true in life? How many times are we involved in things that just take time…no short cuts are available. Maybe it is a sickness, a job loss, a financial crisis or something else that just takes time for the right “tool” to get the job done. Fortunately, my attempts at shortcuts did not damage the piece of porcelain…probably because they were only half hearted attempts. I knew that I had the right tool for the job…I just needed to commit to the time. I needed patience to commit the time. It was a true lesson in patience.

It is that time of year to consider North Side’s operating budget for the coming year. As we conclude fiscal year 2010, it will, as was 2009, be remembered as a financially challenging year that the Lord has brought us through in a remarkable way. In the midst of a national recession, He has continued to bless North Side.

We will conclude FY2010 about 1 to 1.5% below budget in contributions. However, contributions are running above the previous year levels. Additionally, expenses will come in around 98% of the budget.  Our Staff, Elders and Finance Committee continue to follow the conservative spending plan adopted last year and will continue under this plan until our economy recovers.

As a result, the recommended budget for FY2011 will remain the same at $2,194,010.00 as it was for FY2010.  A few brief comments:

• We will continue to reduce administrative expenses to fund ministry and missions.
• Debt retirement contribution to our loan payment will increase by approximately $8,000 per month beginning in December.
• Contribution to the Cooperative Program will continue at 10% (a tithe) of undesignated contributions.
• We continue to watch ministry related expenses and have made some reductions in the budget accordingly.
• Children’s Ministry expenses dropped significantly as we moved Nursery Workers expense to Personnel category.
• Personnel budget based on not filling three part time positions, salary adjustments and incorporating nursery workers and estimating an increase in health care costs.

Our Elders and Finance Committee members will be available for questions on Sunday, September 12^th from 4:30PM to 5:30PM in the Green Room. We will have a congregational vote of affirmation on Sunday, September 26^th in all three adult services.

Thank you for continuing to support the work the Lord is doing through North Side.

Your Elders:  Jeff Lethco, Mike Turner, Eric Bryant, Jerry Rentz, Jason Allen, Ken Petrus, Martin Ridgeway, Jamie Parler, Travis Agnew, Bill Horvath, Scott Davis, Mike Dawkins, Michael George, John McFadden

Finance Committee:  George West, Bryan McCall, Brian Whitaker, Wayne Behrendt

• Check on current health insurance rates,
• Check with Janet on some payroll stuff,
• Check with Ben on some monitors for FLC,
• Follow up with vendor on sound panels for Worship Center,
• Check with John on results of Chapel sound tests last night,
• Make decision on health insurance,
• Finish up budget presentation,
• Approve this week’s checks,
• Review my responsibilities in One Initiative,
• Begin close out of August financial period,
• Review year end spending needs,
• Talk to Travis about One Initiative,
• Talk to Jeff about Elders and Deacons,
• Talk to Jamie about PLACE,
• Talk to Cynthia about a Shelby report,
• Talk to Janet about a couple of financial matters,
• etc…

…and the list goes on and on. This is how I wake up each morning…with a long list of “to do’s”. I get some accomplished in the course of the day, some are pushed out till tomorrow and others are added to the list. It is more or less a continuous list.

However, today, instead of going to the office…

• I had breakfast with an old friend and reconnected with him Checked on him to see how he was doing.
• I went down to the hospital to spend some time with Rachel who was waiting during her husband’s surgery.
• I went out to Piedmont Agency on Aging and shared a message with some dear friends on…loving God and loving people.
• I took my friend David down to his house in South Greenwood to get his Bible.

Now it’s just past lunch time…how will I spend the rest of the day?

Tasks must be done…things must be placed in order…Paul told Titus that very thing. However, we can never loose sight of letting the busyness of life get in the way of loving God and loving people.

In Matthew 22, Jesus replied to the lawyer who was questioning Him on the greatest commandment…

Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matt 22:37-39 (NKJV)

Hopefully, today…I can continue to be a little less busy with my task list.

I come before you, Dear Lord, at a time of trial in my life.  I am seeking honest work so that I may feed myself and my family and continue to meet my commitments to my church and those whom I may owe.

I earnestly pray that you will bless my efforts . . .

That you will give me the strength to continue when my effort seems futile,

That you will guide me in how I spend my time and my energies,

That my idle time will be spent productively, and as a time to come closer to you, Lord, and not a time for temptation to seep into my thoughts and deeds.

That each resume I send out, each phone call I make, each interview I have will be blessed by you.  That you will be by my side and direct my hand, my words, and my actions.

I pray that you will place godly people in my path that can help me, encourage me, and direct my path.

I pray that when I am blessed with choices in the workplace, I will make them in ways that will please you.  And when you provide the job that I so earnestly seek, I will work to the best of the abilities you have given me, so as to glorify you, dear Lord.

I pray that you will not let me suffer financial harm as I seek your will, and I pray that you will bless the efforts of others in similar situations that also look for work.  Help me, I pray, to be a good steward of what you have given me, spending wisely and sparingly in this season of my life.

I know that you have plans for me, not of harm but of peace, and I trust in you O’ Lord.  You are the source of my strength and all blessings.  I ask that you guide me now, in your will.

In Jesus holy name I pray. Amen

By: Ron Damer

Boy oh boy…these sure are interesting times in our economy and trying to put a church budget together in the midst of so much economic uncertainty can really be interesting. Our staff, here at North Side, have been working through the details of our budget for several weeks. In fact, several weeks ago, we had a “budget work day”… fun stuff for me…not necessarily for the rest of the staff. It was interesting though and I might add…very productive!

As we looked towards next year at North Side, we realized that we had to look at the budget through several “lens”. We have:

• Obligations – Things we are obligated to do.
• Needs – Things we need to do.
• Wants – Things we want to do.

We have a very large obligation here at North Side with the new Worship Center…which, by the way, is now three years old. We are moving to build our loan payment into our budget year by year as we end our current capital campaign. In 2012, we will fully fund our loan payments through our operating budget…much like a home mortgage payment.

We also have needs…things that we need to do for the ministries of North Side. It encompasses everything form office supplies… to ministry tools…to supporting local and international missions.

Finally, we also have wants…the things that would be nice to have…things that would be nice to do…all that, no doubt, are valid wants to enhance the ministries of North Side.

Well, I am pleased to say…we are almost there. What at one time looked like an insurmountable task is coming together rather nicely.

We will be proposing a budget that remains the same as last year and the prior year. After much prayer and discussion, it just doesn’t seem to make sense to increase the budget next year…more on that in an upcoming blog post.

We use a zero based budgeting approach here at North Side, so each person responsible for a portion of the budget starts at zero. The budget is built on obligations and needs. Wants are handled separately. Each line item is reviewed by the ministry leader and the department head and a budget request is submitted. When we all get in the room for our budget work day, we work through the entire budget…in essence, we all get on the same page. We add and we subtract. We give and we take. The result…a unified budget that the entire staff understands and supports.

You might ask how we handle the wants…we create a unified “wishlist” of those items. The we prioritize them as a staff. If funds become available, we then address the wishlist.

This stuff isn’t rocket science. It is God at work in His church. Several months ago, as we were heading into the budgeting process, I was a bit apprehensive…next year the same as this year and the same as last year? As I told Jeff a few minutes ago, sometimes, we need to just get out of the way…His way.

The bike had a few deficiencies…no chain, no chain guard, nor fenders…but it looked solid, rolled straight, had reasonable tires that were inflated…and a new paint job. So, I bought it…took it home and proceeded to look for a chain. Ever try to find a used bicycle chain? Almost impossible. I ended up buying a new chain…cost me $12.95…now I more than doubled the cost of the bicycle. But, I easily rationalized that it was OK because the chain is obviously the most important part of the bike and spending a little more on the chain was OK. Made sense to me. Well, now I have it installed and everything is working fine on my $23.95 bicycle.

Only now as I think about it….

• I can only ride it during warm months wearing shorts…long pants would get caught in the rain.
• I can only ride in daylight hours…no reflectors or lights…can’t spare the additional cost for these accessories.
• I can only ride on dry days…no fenders to reflect any surface water.
• I can only ride it in my neighborhood…I don’t really have the confidence in it to take it on the highway.

As I look at my bicycle now, I think maybe that $88.00 bicycle on special at Wal-Mart wasn’t such an extravagant purchase as initially thought.

It’s a silly story, but isn’t this so true of life? We look at something, see it and want it without weighing the total cost…we rationalize our purchase or commitment…then before you know it…you are committed and invested way over our head…can’t turn back now. This not only applies to out monetary purchases but also our time commitments as well.

Oh well, I hope that you got  a kick out of this little story about me and my $23.95 bicycle. Hopefully, it provided  just a little food for thought for you.

Dave Says – April 27, 2010

Should I reduce my tithe?

Dear Dave,
My husband and I are on Baby Step 2 of your plan, and we’re working hard to pay off all of our debt. We’re Christians, but would it be a good idea to decrease our traditional 10 to 15 percent tithe while we work through the debt snowball?
Janelle

Dear Janelle,
I’ve studied Scripture on this subject for about 20 years and taught in Christian settings. But I don’t want you to take my word as the final authority. What we’re about to get into comes from God, not some guy with a radio show, okay?

When you look up the Hebrew word “tithe,” it literally means tenth. Not 10 to 15 percent a tenth. The book of Deuteronomy says to give a tenth of your net increase. In Proverbs, it refers to the tithe as first fruits, off the top, before anything else. About 1,200 years of protestant Christian teaching has focused on the idea that the tithe goes to the local church, because it’s the New Testament representation of the Old Testament storehouse. The storehouse took care of the Levites, which were the priests or pastors and the widows and orphans. Today, the New Testament church in your community is supposed to use it for the same kinds of things: pastor’s salaries and helping people who are struggling.

Now, once we’ve said all that, the problem is that there’s enough toxicity in Christianity and twisted information that surrounds tithing to choke a horse! I want you to remember one thing, though. God doesn’t love you more just because you tithe more than the person sitting next to you. It’s not a salvation issue, either. We’re not going to get into performance-based legalism here. God thinks you’re cool! You’re his kid, and He’s going to love you even if you don’t tithe. But He knows what tithing does for us. It makes us focus on something other than ourselves. God doesn’t need your money, but He does want us to be loving and giving to the people around us.

I wouldn’t stop or reduce my tithe if I were in your situation. When I hit bottom 20 years ago, I tithed all the way into bankruptcy court and all the way out. Just please keep in mind that you shouldn’t do this because Dave Ramsey gave you a “rule.” It comes straight from God, and it’s a loving father’s instructions as to what’s best for his kids!
Dave

For more information on Dave Ramsey’s financial resources go to http://www.daveramsey.com