Welcome to “Sunday Inspiration,” a bi-weekly devotional for those seeking spiritual encouragement in the pursuit of their passions. Each post comes from an outside resource (as referenced). I hope these posts will inspire and motivate you in your life and career in addition to our weekly original blog posts. Enjoy!

Vision. A God-given vision is a powerful thing.

A lot of people mistake goal setting for vision. There’s nothing wrong with having goals, but a vision is not a goal that you set in your carnal mind.

A true vision originates from God. It’s something that God puts in your spirit.

Vision is something that the Holy Spirit deposits into you and says, “This is the highest you! This is what I see you doing. This is My call and My dream and My vision for your life.”

And it’s always bigger than what you think you can do. It’s always greater than your ability to perform it without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Many of us come to a place in life where we’re unsure, and we begin to question, “Is it ever going to happen?” You begin hoping, wishing, praying, “Lord, I just want it to happen.”

But you must move from the place of hoping to the place of believing. When you go from hoping it will happen to believing it will happen, your faith takes a quantum leap, and you KNOW God’s going to do it!

In your spirit, you realize you’re about to step into something beyond yourself.

What is your vision?

What is it you’re believing God for? Is there something you’ve prayed for in secret because you couldn’t work up the courage to even tell someone?

I want to challenge you to believe that all things are possible. Place that dream before the Lord and allow Him to take that dream and shape it in to something amazing.

Belief is the key.

Think About It

1. What makes your heart beat faster?
2. Is there a vision the Lord has shown you?
3. What would you attempt if you could not fail?

Source: https://www.jentezenfranklin.org/daily-devotions/fasting-day-16

I was listening to the radio while getting ready yesterday morning. The DJ started talking about how there’s no such thing as a “dream job.” How you can’t expect a job to be without challenges and struggles. And how it’s the struggles that grow us and make us better. There’s a lot of truth in what he said. However, I think he was confusing “dream job” with the “perfect job.”

There’s no such thing as the “perfect job,” just like there’s no such thing as the perfect person, perfect relationship, perfect life, etc. But there is such a thing as a “dream job.”

Granted, the majority of people are not in their dream job (yet!). But there are a lot of people who are. Probably even more so today than in years past due to the changing world of work. Many people now can create their own opportunities through entrepreneurship, “solopreneurship,” freelancing, and the gig economy. Others can now work from home or be digital nomads through remote opportunities.

A Perfect Job Would Be Boring

I feel like I’m working in my dream job. I get to do what I love and use my skills, experience, and gifting doing it. Also, I get to encourage others and see them succeed which is extremely rewarding. And I get to make my own schedule and don’t have to answer to a boss.

But I would not say my job is perfect. There are many challenges and struggles that come with running my own business. And I’ve definitely grown and learned from those struggles. I don’t think it would be my “dream job” if I didn’t have to face any challenges at all. Instead, I think I’d be totally bored.

The 60% Rule

I always tell my clients:

“You can’t expect to love 100% of your job 100% of the time. But if you love at least 60% of your job, you’re in a much better place than most people who are settling for just a paycheck.”

I try to live by my own advice.

And I’m sharing this advice with you today as well. For you, finding this 60% “sweet spot” may mean trying to find ways to be happier in your current job.

Or it may mean looking for a new job, changing careers, or starting your own thing.

Realistic vs. Unrealistic Expectations

The key is to have realistic expectations.

I remember when I was working as a college career adviser. I had a student who was a sociology major who never took the advice on how to gain experience while still in college. However he did register for the career development course I was teaching, but then dropped it two weeks in.

Later, in his last semester on the verge of graduating with a sociology degree and no internship experience, he came to me and said the following (with a serious face):

“I’d like to get a job in advertising in Hawaii. I don’t expect to be making $125K my first year, but do expect to do so by my second year.”

(Feel free to stop and chuckle before reading further.)

I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling this student that even my magic wand has limits.

And trust me, if such a job existed for someone without any advertising experience whatsoever, I would be the first one to apply for it. I could totally live in Hawaii.

Needless to say, this student had unrealistic expectations.

What Do You Value Most?

There’s nothing wrong with having a dream to do work you love. But there is something wrong with expecting everything (including perfection) for nothing. You’ll be continually disappointed if you expect perfection.

Instead, you should expect there to be some things you’ll have to compromise on. You may have to work more hours if you want to make more money. Or you may have to give up some money to have more work/life balance.

You have to decide for yourself what you value most.

You can start by making a list of your “must have” items, a list of the things you’re willing to compromise on, and a list of “icing on the cake” items (things you’d love to have but don’t expect to have). Then be open to opportunities that fulfill at least 60% of your lists.

Need Some Help Discovering Your Dream Job?

Are you in search of your “dream job” but are mistaking it for “the perfect job”? Are your expectations realistic when it comes to finding your dream job?

Remember, there’s no such thing as the perfect job but there can be such a thing as a dream job if you earnestly seek it. The pursuit is a little easier when done with the help of a career coach.

If you’d like some help in this area or would just like to schedule a complimentary initial consultation, please click here and take a few minutes to complete the paNASH intake form.

Related Posts:

• How to Know if You’re In the Wrong Job
• You Don’t Have to Be a Slave to a Paycheck
• How to Make Your Sucky Job More Bearable (Until You Can Leave)
• How to Get Experience When You Can’t Get Hired Without It
• With Every Great Purpose Comes Passion…and Challenge
• How to Make the Risk of Starting Your Own Business Doable
• More blog posts on the topic of changing careers

When it comes to writing resumes, choosing the right resume format can be confusing. There are a few different formats to choose from. But format really depends on what your career goals are and what industry you’re in.

Below are descriptions of resume formats to help you determine which format will work best for your unique situation.

Chronological Resume Format

If you want to advance in the same field you’re currently in, you’d want to use the chronological format.

The majority of recruiters and hiring managers prefer this format.

When I say “chronological,” I mean reverse chronological order, with your most recent info listed first. Make sure you list each and every section of your resume in reverse chronological order. (I.e. in your “Experience” section, your current or most recent job is listed first; in your “Education” section, your most recent degree/schooling is listed first.)

Skills/Functional Resume Format

However, if you’re trying to make a career change to something different, you’ll need to highlight how your skills transfer over to a new field.

It’s at this point you’ll want to consider a skills format (also known as a “functional” format). This format is the preferred format for some industries such as the legal field.

A skills resume is also a good option if you’re trying to downplay any gaps in your work history. But beware! Recruiters know people use this format for this reason.

On a skills resume, instead of having a section called “Experience,” you’d have sections named after the top three skills they’re seeking and you possess. Those skills will be your headings for those sections (i.e. “Marketing Experience” or “Event Planning Experience”).

Underneath each heading, you’ll list job duties from past jobs that demonstrate your ability to perform said skill. (Use bullets to list these items.)

Don’t worry about listing job titles or companies yet. You’ll do this in a separate section called “Employment History.”

After you’ve completed the above with a few different skills, you’ll begin a new section called “Employment History”. Here you’ll simply include a list of your current and past jobs to show when you worked. List each job on one line with the following info: job title, company name, city, state, dates of employment.

That’s it. No need to include bulleted job duties because you should’ve already listed them above in the appropriate skills sections.

Hybrid Resume Format

There may be cases where it makes sense to use a hybrid resume format. This format combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats.

This is especially helpful if you’re moving to a field different from your current work, but you have relevant experience from further back in your past.

In this situation, you always want the most relevant experience higher up in the resume while still keeping your resume in reverse chronological order.

How do you do this?

By simply breaking your “Experience” section down into two different sections. One with a heading called “Relevant Experience” and one with a heading called “Additional Experience”.

Put the “Relevant Experience” section first, and include your past jobs most relevant to the position for which you’re applying. Give details on your duties and accomplishments in these jobs with bulleted statements outlining the results of your work.

Then, after this section you’ll insert your “Additional Experience” section and include your current job (to show you’re still working) and any other unrelated jobs you may have had. Here, you don’t have to include bulleted details if you don’t have the space to do so. Instead just include the job title, company name, city, state, and dates of employment.

Make sure you list all your jobs in reverse chronological order within each section. Organizing your resume this way lets you move the most relevant info higher up in the resume while still keeping each section in reverse chronological order.

I have samples of these different resume formats in my on-demand program Resumes That Get You the Interview: Surprising Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed.

Master Resume

In addition to the various formats listed above, I always recommend having what I call a “master resume.”

This resume is for your eyes only. It includes everything you’ve ever done (work, volunteer experience, projects, professional association memberships, etc.). Therefore, it can be as long as you’d like since you won’t send it out to anyone.

Instead, what you’ll use it for will be to create targeted resumes (see below).

Always try to update your master resume every six months, even when you’re not looking for a job.

Targeted Resume

You’ll create your targeted resume (using one of the formats listed above) by pulling any items from your master resume that are relevant to the job you’re currently targeting.

Simply copy and paste those relevant items from the master resume into the targeted resume. This saves you time in the future when having to send out resumes for multiple jobs.

More Resume Tips:

For more tips on resume writing, check out my on-demand video course Resumes That Get You the Interview: Surprising Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed. Receive a free copy of my e-book Get Your Resume Read! when you purchase the on-demand video course.

Welcome to “Sunday Inspiration,” a bi-weekly devotional for those seeking spiritual encouragement in the pursuit of their passions. Each post comes from an outside resource (as referenced). I hope these posts will inspire and motivate you in your life and career in addition to our weekly original blog posts. Enjoy!

“What good is that…?” Jn 6:9 NLT

Observe what the disciples said to Jesus just before He fed five thousand hungry people: “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

End of story?

No, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people…And they all ate as much as they wanted…So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves” (Jn 6:11-13 NLT).

God always gives you something to start with.

But you have to look for it, recognize it, and put it into His hands.

The miracle of multiplication happened when a boy took what he had, and made it available to Jesus.

The Bible says, “Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin” (Zec 4:10 TLB).

Don’t be afraid to take small steps, just make sure they’re steps of faith and God will work through you.

Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). And what did He build it with? Twelve flawed people just like us! But when He poured Himself into them, the mix was so concentrated that when two of them got together they could turn whole towns upside down (See Ac 17:6).

You say, “But I’ve so many shortcomings.”

We all come to the Lord damaged and in need of repair. But the good news is, you can be strong in some areas and struggling in others and God can still use you—as long as you’re willing to start with what you’ve got.

Source: https://www.myeverydaydevotionals.com/2017/08/start-with-what-youve-got-daily.html

I recently had a client who said she wasn’t getting the response to her networking emails she’d hoped for.

She asked me if there was anything she could do to increase her response rate.

I went back and looked at some of the previous emails she’d sent me to see if I noticed any patterns possibly interfering with her networking efforts. In doing so, it was immediately clear how she could improve her response rate.

If you’re also not having as much success in getting responses to your own networking emails as you’d like, check out these tips I shared with her, plus some bonus tips!

Tips to Increase Responses to Your Networking Emails

Always include an appropriate subject line.

Emails without an appropriate subject line are often viewed as suspicious.

But sometimes it’s hard to know what the subject line should say to get the recipient to open the message.

One subject line that tends to work well is one including a mutual contact’s name. If someone referred you to the person you’re emailing, include a subject line like, “Referral from [mutual contact’s name].” The reader will immediately know the message isn’t spam or junk mail.

Avoid any spelling errors in the subject line. Misspellings often send the signal the message could be spam or phishing.

Copy your mutual contact.

If you’re emailing someone you’ve been referred to by another contact, copy your mutual contact on your initial message. This adds validity to the relationship and your claim of the referral.

Better yet, ask the person referring you to do an introduction email with all of you copied on it. Or ask them to send their friend an email giving them a heads-up that you’ll soon be reaching out.

Your potential contact is more likely to open an email from their friend they already know than from someone they’ve never heard of.

Keep it cheerful, yet professional.

Avoid writing networking emails when you’re in a bad mood. Sometimes it can come across in your wording, and the tone may be easily misconstrued. It could also make you sound or seem entitled. You definitely won’t get a response then.

And while you always want to be concise, you can also come across as abrupt if you don’t include a friendly greeting or any context as to why you’re emailing the contact.

Frame your message with a friendly opening and closing, but be professional! This means not using any emoticons or exclamation points. In fact, an email with too many exclamation points will usually end up in the recipient’s spam folder.

Be clear but concise.

Make your reason for emailing clear from the start.

If you need to give an explanation for your request, do so as concisely as possible. Avoid anything too lengthy, including background info the reader doesn’t need to know just yet. Save this for when you set up a meeting to connect in person.

People are busy, so make your message easy for them to read quickly. They’ll appreciate you being mindful of their time.

Do NOT use the phrase, “Can I Pick Your Brain?”

Don’t. Ever. Say. This.

Just don’t!

Not ever.

I previously wrote an entire blog post explaining why you should never use the phrase “Can I pick your brain?” If you’re wondering why, stop reading this post right now and go read “Why ‘Can I Pick Your Brain?’ Is the Wrong Approach“!

If it is information you’re wanting from your networking contact, find a better way to phrase your request than, “Can I pick your brain?”

Say thanks, but don’t be too presumptuous.

In your closing, thank the recipient in advance for their time and consideration.

I’ve read studies that claim email response rates increase if you include the simple phrase, “Thanks in advance.” I’ve personally found this to be true on most occasions.

However, you don’t want to sound presumptuous. So to counter-balance this phrase, indicate you’re willingness to follow the recipient’s lead on the next steps.

For instance, you might say, “I’m happy to meet at a mutually convenient time,” or “I can meet you at a location that works best for you.”

You must be flexible since you’re asking for someone’s time.

Give your recipient an out.

I once had someone I’d never met email me wanting to get together for lunch so he could ask me some questions. He said, “Let me know what time next week works best for you.” (He also asked, “Can I pick your brain?”)

I wanted to respond with, “Well, if next week is my only option, the answer is ‘no’.”

Why did he assume I was even able to meet the following week? I immediately felt like he was trying to control the situation for his preference and convenience. Had he just left out the words “next week” (and “Can I pick your brain?”), he would have left a better impression on me.

If you’re asking someone for their time to help you out, don’t be picky with time or location. And don’t try to put constraints on them or try to force them into a “yes” they may not be able to give. Craft your message so it gives the recipient some options, including the option to say “no” if they need to.

Follow up.

It’s okay to follow up with someone if you don’t get a response the first time. Sometimes your message gets lost in their inbox or they forget to respond.

I’ve had situations where I followed up with someone after a few weeks and they actually thanked me for doing so! They simply forgot and were glad I spared them from the embarrassment of never having responded.

The appropriate amount of time to wait before you follow up is one to two weeks. If it happens to be more urgent (which it most likely isn’t), at least give people 24-48 hours to respond.

And when they do, make sure you show the same courtesy by responding within 24 hours to all networking emails.

If after following up you still don’t get a response, move on.

Should You Skip Networking Emails and Just Call?

You always have the option to call instead of sending an email. Keep in mind, however email is less intrusive on people’s workday. It allows people to respond at a time most convenient for them.

If your mutual contact tells you the new contact prefers phone calls, by all means call instead of emailing.

I don’t recommend texting since that’s more personal than professional.

When receiving a response, always return messages with the same method they used in reaching out to you.

Remember to always be courteous and professional in all your networking efforts. Using career etiquette will go a long way!

Related Posts:

• Why “Can I Pick Your Brain?” Is the Wrong Approach
• How to Be Realistic About Networking
• Why You Need to Stop Overthinking Networking